


turn around, bright eyes (every now and then i fall apart)

by crescentchae



Series: a one shot for every twice ship!! [1]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, diamond!au, mina is sad, nayeon is her sunshine, please check the author notes for tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22676929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescentchae/pseuds/crescentchae
Summary: where mina is cursed and now her tears turn to diamonds, so her mother tries everything to ensure she keeps crying.but she didn't account for nayeon and mina meeting.or an au prompt i saw on twitter that i loved so much that it inspired me to write a 21k one shot
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina, mentioned sana/momo
Series: a one shot for every twice ship!! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1675549
Comments: 36
Kudos: 279





	1. one.

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is my first time ever writing, but i loved the idea so much that this 21k just flowed from me. lowkey nervous to post this, but it seems a shame to just leave it!! the second half is already written and pretty much fully proof read, so it'll be up in a day or two, but 21k seemed a lot to read in one sitting, so it's in two!! 
> 
> the title is half a joke but that bonnie tyler song slaps and it's fitting so here we are 
> 
> i hope you enjoy, any comments/ suggestions would be appreciated - please be gentle tho :)) 
> 
> tw warning for some parental emotional abuse, and one scene of mild physical parental abuse, so please be careful. i tried to be sensitive with it and not use it just to forward their relationship, but if anything needs changing then let me know

_Mina curled in on herself as the door to her bedroom closed. The agony she felt inside greatly overshadowed the dull throbbing she felt in her head and behind her eyes. Tonight had been an especially intense round. What could one expect from a curse? No matter how Mina’s mother attempted to coat the truth, that was all this could be to Mina; a curse. Mina shook her head as if to physically reject the thoughts. This would not, no, could not be forever. The tiny fragment of the optimist she once was attempted to claw its way to the surface. Yet, as Mina laid in her bed, entirely isolated from the outside world, she felt that fragment deteriorate slightly more._

  
  


Mina paced the length of her room. Today was the day. Trepidation tingled up her spine. Her one day a year of freedom, where she could wander around and do _whatever_ , so long as she was back within 2 hours. Mina nervously brought her hands to rub around her lips, deep in thought. There was _so much_ she wanted to do, and such little time. She wanted to have the watermelon juice she tried last year, she had dreamt of it so many times. Or maybe she would see the tiny golden Daschund puppy again who had been so _soft_ and just so excited to see her and th-

“Mina. Stop, don’t be so pathetic,” Mina’s mother’s voice sounded out with exasperation. Mina whirred around to face her mother. Her auburn hair was pinned up in a bun, not a single flyaway hair. She was dressed lavishly, as usual, specks of diamonds littered her cheekbones, making Mina squint when the sunlight caught the jewels. She wore a tight-fitted red dress that accentuated the rubies on her rings. Her posture was rigid, bone-straight and intimidating. Mina instinctively flinched at the sight of the familiar annoyance in her mother’s hardened eyes, “Truly, Mina-yah. It’s like you live to disappoint me, pacing around like a whimpering dog.” 

Mina’s head dipped in shame. She had disappointed her. Again.

“Perhaps I should revoke certain privileges, if you insist on being so insolent.” Mina’s mother pondered aloud, smirk plastered on her lips.

Tears sprung to Mina’s eyes. “N-no, please, mother. I will make you proud, and I will get you anything you need, p-please. Allow me the time.” Mina pleaded in desperation. Mina’s mother reached forward, Mina instinctively flinching at the movement. The older woman placed her hand under Mina’s cheek as a tear solidified. Mina felt a harsh pinch to her cheek.

“Well, I suppose I could allow you to.” Mina’s mother clasped her hands behind her back and turned away from Mina. “But, remember, Mina. You’re not leaving not for you, you’re to show everyone that you’re ‘back in town’, correct? Just as we’ve perfected, daughter.” She paused by the door frame and looked back over her shoulder. “What do we do if people ask if you’re my daughter?”

Mina swallowed the lump in her throat and straightened her back, allowing a smile to spread across her face. “How lovely of you to say so! Why, I am. I’m back for a few days to visit my mother. I finally found the time to come back home from my travels, so I thought I would pick up some bits for her to surprise her. I couldn’t bear to come home empty-handed!” Mina recited, trying to project authenticity into her tone.

“Hm, that’s right, Mina. Make sure to remember it, just like that. You wouldn’t force me into revoking my kindness and have you in here for the entire year now, would you?”

“N-no, mother. You’re so kind to let me out at all. I would never abuse that.”

“Be certain you remember that, my daughter.” Mina’s mother exited through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Mina exhaled a long breath and flopped back onto the mattress. She still had her chance to taste fresh air. The thought of running briefly entered her mind, but she quickly banished the thought. Mina shook her head dejectedly. She could never survive on her own. Where would she go? Mina knew she was an asset, that the moment anyone found out her secret she would be forced back into confinement and abused until she filled another person’s diamond quota. 

Mina would never delude herself into thinking her mother loved her, but at least Mina was never hungry, even if she was only allowed the blandest food. At least Mina was allowed to read, even if she was only permitted to read tragedies that made the rarities form on her cheeks. At least Mina’s mother hugged her, even if it was only after Mina was heaving and her eyes could no longer produce any more tears for the night. No, Mina’s mother would never love her, she never had, but at least Mina belonged somewhere. Family is where she belongs, her mother had told her, that everyone else would abuse Mina’s greatness. It’s what she had to tell herself. 

There was nowhere else for someone like Mina.

Mina felt the tears slip her face, hardening before she had the chance to swipe them away. She gathered the diamonds in her hand, wrapping her fingers around them and squeezing tightly. All Mina wanted was to feel something other than her anguish. 

More tears solidified. 

She could never run. 

Mina slipped out of the back door onto the private land that her mother owned, glancing around for people. The sunlight assaulted her senses and she brought a hand up to shield her eyes. She inhaled deeply. As Mina’s eyes adjusted to the brightness, she gazed over the field in awe. The grass felt like what Mina assumed gentle kisses would feel like across her knuckles as she bent down to run her hand across the grass. The gentle breeze was the softest touch she had felt in almost a year. She examined the ants ghosting through the blades of grass, extending her hand to allow one to crawl onto her fingertip. The first new bit of life she had encountered today. Mina felt almost nauseous with the rising giddiness bursting through her esophagus. She had waited so long, this is everything her dreams had consisted of since she was 16. A year moved so slowly in isolation, and now the day was finally here and Mina felt so full she was about to burst and-

“Mina.” She deflated as the reality of her mother’s tone cut through her daydreams. Mina turned to face the woman.

“I-I’m sorry, mother”.

“Just leave,” Her mother gestured carelessly with her hand. “Remember what we discussed. Two hours, don’t push my kindness, my dear child.” Hands reached towards Mina and pulled her closer. “Do you understand?”

Mina forced herself to maintain eye contact as she bobbed her head in agreement.

“Good. Then run along.” Her mother turned back inside the house, leaving Mina alone on the grass.

Mina watched, mesmerised, at the groups of people moving around the marketplace. There was life everywhere. If the grass of a field was a gentle caress, the marketplace was a forceful hug. People bustled, pushing past each other. Laughter rang out from every corner. Children pulled on their parent’s hands, a couple embraced under the fountain. Shouts rang out as the market people boasted of their goods, customers haggling loudly in response.

Mina felt as if she were suspended, watching the crowds move from outside her own body. There was so _much_. She wanted all of it. Mina shook her head, silently scolding herself. This had never been about what she wanted. She had to make sure as many people saw her as possible, news spread quickly along the marketplace; people would talk of Myoui Sakura’s daughter returning home for a while. Then the cycle could continue.

Mina let out a sigh, scanning the faces of the market stalls for anyone with a familiar face. The faces of the market people frequented her dreams as she longed to return every night. She noticed a middle-aged woman with a black bob. Her features were kindly and Mina recognised her as the woman she purchased her first alcoholic drink from. The woman had an assortment of items in front of her, ranging from various fruits, to different cigarette brands and alcohols. As Mina stood, attempting to summon the courage to show herself to the woman, she raised her head and met Mina’s gaze.

Well, that settled that. Mina took a calming breath before pushing herself towards the stall with what she hoped was a genuine smile plastered on her features.

“Myoui Mina! Lovely to see you, sweetheart. Back for a short stay?” The kindly woman smiled, the wrinkles around her eyes accentuating her warm appearance.

“Of course, I always pop in to see my mother around this time of year! I’m a bit earlier this year, just so she won’t suspect me coming,” And so no-one will grow suspicious of why Mina only seemed to appear on the same day of every year; that was something her mother had made certain she had learnt at 20. “I thought I would bring her favourite, she loves the pomegranates from the market but she just doesn’t have time to get them considering how much she works.” Mina was well-versed in these sorts of lies by now, letting the words flow before she could overthink and stutter through them.

“Oh, how lovely, deary! Take these pomegranates, for free, for your sweet mother.” The woman extended three of the fruits for Mina to take. She slipped her backpack off her shoulder (what ‘traveller’ would leave the house without her trusty backpack?) and deposited the fruit inside it. 

“You’re ever so kind. Thank you, Miss.” Mina bowed before turning to leave. She strained to keep her pace reasonable despite the growing urge to sprint. When she finally reached a corner to an alleyway, she slipped down it, raising a hand to her mouth as she felt the bile rise up her throat. Mina breathed in deeply through her nose, exhaling slowly.

Mina had done it, it had gone off without a hitch. She knew the woman’s husband had ties to companies in the city, if anyone asked if Sakura’s daughter had been seen recently, this was their alibi. Yet, the tension had yet to leave Mina’s body, thoughts of what might have happened to her if she had failed her mother coursing through her mind. Mina pushed the palms of her hands roughly into her eyes, trying to ground herself. She still has an hour and 33 minutes. Now, she could almost delude herself into believing the rest of the day was hers. 

Mina exited back through the alleyway and rounded into the marketplace. She allowed her eyes to drift over the various stalls, vibrating with thinly veiled excitement at the possibilities. Yet, her eyes paused on a lone girl leaning against a brick wall, scrolling through her phone. The bottom of her right foot was pressed against the wall, her knee bent at the joint. She wore a long-sleeved white t-shirt and black jeans, her shoes a brand that Mina didn’t recognise. The girl had long, flowing brown hair with slight waves. Mina couldn’t help but stare. Everyone else was filtering through the crowds, speaking with loud voices, yet this girl stood nonchalantly against the wall by an empty stand. How could anyone look so disinterested with such life surrounding them? And why was she so damn attractive? 

The girl raised her head and their eyes met. The girl cocked an eyebrow at Mina. Mina silently berated herself for being caught staring, wanting the world to implode in on itself as the girl pushed herself off the wall and pocketed her phone. Right as Mina debated the pros and cons of turning around and going back home where she belonged, the girl stepped (too far, in Mina’s opinion) into her personal space.

“You should take a picture, it’ll last longer.” The girl stated, looking at Mina expectantly. “Can I do something for you?” 

Mina was mortified, a blush spreading across her cheeks. “S-Sorry, I, um, don’t come here much a-and you’re just really pretty.” Mina slapped a hand over her mouth, wanting the sweet release of death. God, how much of an idiot could she be? This girl was going to sprint in the opposite direction, and Mina had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach at the thought of the girl leaving her alone again. 

The girl threw her head back and laughed. “Well, aren’t you forward?” The girl brought a hand up to her face as if pondering something. “And you certainly aren’t wrong.” The girl continued, gesturing to her body with her hands. 

The blush on Mina’s cheeks deepened as she followed the girl’s hands and evaluated the girl’s body. Her figure was painfully attractive. Being imprisoned in your room 364 days and 22 hours a year meant that Mina’s hormones were painfully dormant. Mina couldn’t quite bring herself to lift her gaze, getting lost in her thoughts. 

Mina heard someone clear their throat. Mina’s tore her stare from the girl’s legs back up to her face. The girl was smirking. “Well done, my eyes are, in fact, where you’re now looking.” 

Mina dropped her head in shame, cursing herself for being so disgusting. Her first chance at speaking to someone her own age in almost 4 years and all she could do was ogle at the poor girl. Mina felt the pressure behind her eyes build as she tried to suppress the tears fighting to spring to her eyes. Mina was a fool to even subconsciously let herself hope to speak to this girl normally. Mina was good for business, and that was as far as it went. Even before her curse, she had never been the best at making friends. People always said she was too quiet, even if it was just because she preferred to listen until she felt comfortable enough to speak. But anyone who had gotten close to discovering that had been taken away, Mina forbidden from seeing them. Mina dared not cross her mother; she had never been brave. 

“Wow, apparently I’m so attractive that I’ve short-circuited your brain.” The girl placed a hand on Mina’s shoulder, causing her to instinctively shrink from the touch. “Hey, hey, I’m sorry. I was just joking, I don’t mind if you want to look.” 

Mina looked up to meet the girl’s smile. She had bunny teeth and a smile that showed her gums. Her gums disappeared as her smile morphed into a smirk. “I definitely don’t blame you.” 

Mina didn’t know what to say to that, terrified of misspeaking and causing the girl to leave her alone. 

“So, you got a name, pretty girl?” The girl asked, her smirk still firmly plastered on her face. 

“Oh. I, um, Mina.” Mina stammered hopelessly, flustered at the girl’s comment, no matter how innocuous it was. 

“‘Um Mina’? Well, I’m Im Nayeon, what a coincidence.” The girl, Nayeon, threw her head back again and positively _cackled_. Mina winced at the sheer volume of the girl’s laugh. Yet Mina couldn’t help but lift her hand to cover her growing smile. Nayeon’s laughter was infectious. 

“Oh, so she does smile. Why are you covering it? Don’t be shy.” Nayeon reached to wrap her hand around Nayeon’s wrist and moved her hand away from where it covered her smile. 

“Um, I- Well, my mother doesn’t like it when I smile.” Mina said without thinking. She mentally slapped herself. Why was Nayeon so disarming? Nothing that Mina had rehearsed managed to fit with anything Nayeon said, she was too unpredictable. 

However, the gravity of what Mina had said hit her square in the chest. _Why_ had she said that? Nayeon could know her mother. If she made the connection, then Mina was fucked. The girl clearly liked to talk, if a comment like that got out and raised any sorts of suspicions then Mina would ruin her mother’s life. What sort of daughter could ruin her own mother’s life? And what would the consequences be for Mina? And even if Nayeon didn’t know her mother, what possessed Mina to think that statement ticked any boxes of friendly conversation with a stranger? Why was Mina so incapable of being normal? It was because she wasn’t. And she knew that was the reason why. But was she so broken that she couldn’t pretend for 5 minutes to just be - _normal_? 

“Ah. She doesn’t sound particularly pleasant. I think your smile is cute.” Nayeon said, seemingly sincerely, to break her from her thoughts. 

Mina ignored the last statement before it could fluster her more. “My mother is... unconventional.” Mina said nervously, pushing her bangs back from her face by running a hand through her hair, a habit her mother had been trying to remodel for her entire life.

“Unconventional? I mean, you’re a bit odd yourself, Mina.”. Nayeon smirked. Mina flinched at the words and tilted her head downwards. Mina felt the urge to cry seize her again. The reality of the situation threatened to destroy Mina as her mind returned back to its familiar stream of self-deprecation. Of course, she had a chance at human interaction but she was too broken to even be able to make the most of it. All she could ever hope to be is a freak who is destined to spend all her days until her last breath in utter misery and lonelin-.

“So, could I interest you in getting a coffee or something? I’ve been told that I make for _excellent_ company”. The voice broke Mina from her reverie. Mina glanced up and found the smirk on Nayeon’s face was gone, her eyes were almost... soft, apologetic? But that couldn’t be it, Mina hadn’t been shown fondness in… Well, Mina couldn’t even remember how long. 

The urge to raise her walls reared its head. Mina was in over her head, she didn’t know how to handle these situations. It had been at least 2 seconds of silence, surely that meant it had been too long to answer now. She began to panic at the thought of awkwardness seeping into the conversation and losing her only chance of connecting with another person. Yet, right as she began to spiral and opened her mouth to try and splutter _anythi_ -

“Come on, let’s go before you get all spacey again. I know a great little place, my best friend Momo and I go all the time with her girlfriend, Sana. Honestly, it’ll be great to go and not be third-wheeling. Who knows? Maybe the place has a different vibe when you aren’t staring at the tiny speck of dust on the wall hoping the ground swallows you up as your two friends make eyes at each other _oh so_ discreetly.” Nayeon hardly stopped for breath as she slipped her hand into Mina’s and forcefully tugged her along behind her.

Nayeon spoke at such a high velocity that Mina’s head began to spin. She had been left alone with silence and the darkness of her own thoughts for so long that the constant stream of words from Nayeon’s mouth left her reeling. The girl was... entrancing. She spoke with her entire body, her hands never ceasing in their movements, the words spoken with so many variations in her intonations that Mina almost wanted to ask Nayeon to slow down so she could properly decipher all the nuances of her speech. 

Mina was overwhelmed, Nayeon was everything that she wasn’t. Touchy, talkative, social. She smiled without abandon, didn’t care if her laughter was obnoxiously loud, spoke whatever came to her mind without analysing if it was the right thing to say. Were all 20-somethings like this, or was Nayeon just ridiculously unique? Mina had been away from civilisation for so long that she couldn’t help but wonder if Nayeon was one of a kind.

Another slightly disarming factor was that Nayeon still held a firm grip on her hand. When she would release it to gesticulate, she’d immediately slip her hand back around Mina’s when she was finished and give an extra tug to speed her up. Everything about Nayeon was utterly confusing and Mina was overloaded. But then why didn’t she feel the urge to run anymore? She was feeling far too much, and it was suffocating in the best way. Mina couldn’t help but subconsciously compare it to the permanent emptiness that she had grown accustomed to over her 22 years.

“So, Momo is still saying _I’m_ the least intelligent in our group. After all that. Honestly, _she_ is the one who left the house with her shirt on inside-out _and_ the tag still on it. Mina-yah?” Yet again, Mina is startled out of her own thoughts, both by her name and by Nayeon abruptly halting their movement. She wasn’t listening. She turned guiltily to face Nayeon with dread in her heart. She had to get it together, because now she’s had the constant hum of Nayeon’s words, even whilst she continually got lost in her thoughts, she isn’t quite sure how she can go back to the deafening silence.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry” Mina stuttered, “I just get lost in my thoughts sometimes. I’m sorry, I know I’m not good at this. Maybe I should just-.” Mina retracted her hand from Nayeon’s and gestured in the vague direction from which they had come. She took a step from Nayeon, feeling the familiar burn behind her eyes that signalled her oncoming tears.

“Woah, woah. Where are you going?”. Mina felt her body being jerked back towards Nayeon. “You don’t have to be good at this. I want to get a coffee with you. Honestly, I don’t even mind if you aren’t listening to me, I love the sound of my own voice.” She nudged Mina and Mina met her eye and saw the twinkle in them. It made Mina suppress a shy smile. “There we go! See, I’m not that bad. I just wanted to ask if you still wanted to actually get the coffee, like, maybe you wanted to go somewhere else, or maybe you’re busy, or...”.

Mina was shocked to see Nayeon avoiding her gaze, the girl had been insistent on uncomfortably steady eye contact thus far. Was Nayeon... embarrassed? Surely not, why would Nayeon be embarrassed around her? Whatever it was, it was strangely endearing, and such a jarring comparison to the Nayeon she... knew? Mina supposed they knew each other at the very least. Mina tried to formulate anything that vaguely resembled a normal response.

“Um, I haven’t actually ever had coffee, I’m forbidden from drinking it.” Mina resisted the urge to slap a hand over her mouth. _That_ was the best she had? What normal person _hadn’t_ had coffee and was ‘forbidden’ from drinking it?

“Are you _serious_?” Nayeon questioned. She looked affronted, and Mina wanted to sink into the ground. “That’s it, we’re going, I refuse to be seen with someone who has never had coffee”.

“I unders-. Eh?” Mina spluttered, convinced Nayeon was finally going to concede defeat and accept Mina was far from pleasant company.

“Mina-yah, come on. You’re taking far too long.” Her hand again slipped into Mina’s and dragged her along. Nayeon sent her a smile over her shoulder that showed her gums and bunny teeth. Mina felt her walls crumble a bit more, and soon Mina was in stride with Nayeon. 

Their hands remained clasped.

Mina stood adjacent to the road that lead down to her house, with Nayeon glancing around curiously next to her. Frankly, Mina’s head was pounding. Nayeon had spoken more words in 56 minutes than Mina thinks she has spoken in her entire life. After her lapse of attention previously, Mina had made a conscious effort to avoid any sort of spiralling during their coffee. 

Nayeon never ran out of things to talk about and she was never discouraged by Mina’s failure to respond satisfactorily. She would merely smile, roll her eyes and nudge Mina’s foot under the table. Mina could swear that the touches had begun to _burn._ However, it wasn’t the burn that came from her mother’s touches, it was softer. Nayeon was so playful, everything was more optimistic than what Mina was used to. Something within Mina was stirring and she had read enough tragedies to put a name to the feeling. 

“So, you live on this corner? I mean, not that it isn’t a lovely corner, but somehow I expected something more elegant.” Nayeon said, gently breaking Mina from her thoughts, an already familiar occurrence. Mina wrinkled her nose.

“Elegant?”

“Yes, Minari, _elegant_. I haven’t seen you slouch once this whole time, everything about you just screams prim and proper.” Nayeon’s words brought a blush to Mina’s cheeks. Was that a compliment? An issue? 

Nayeon gave Mina a _headache_. 

Wait, ‘Minari’? Once the nickname had registered in Mina’s head, she had to refrain from physically doing a double take.

“M-Minari?” Mina stammered helplessly.

“Yes, Mina, a nickname. Keep up. Come on, let me walk you to the door, what kind of girl would I be if I didn’t make sure you made it home safely?” Nayeon reached to link their fingers again, but Mina moved her hand away, making the older girl tilt her head. “Oh, so now you don’t want to hold my hand? You wound me, Minari.”

“No, no! I do, I-I really like it. Your hands are big and soft, they feel ni-“ Mina stopped herself before she could ramble any further. 

Nayeon had to see that she was a lost cause. No-one could be so good and kind to keep ignoring how damaged Mina is. Nayeon merely threw her head back with a cackle that Mina had already begun to associate with the quickening of her own heart.

“Ah, I get that a lot, Minari.” A smirk and a wink. “I’m just happy to hear some of those thoughts in your head”. Nayeon reached up to knock gently against Mina’s forehead with her knuckles, before brushing Mina’s bangs to the side. Mina was reeling from the implications of both of her statements. Nayeon was so... _confusing_ , and Mina couldn’t handle any more indirectness. 

“Why are you here, Nayeon? We both know I’m not normal, and we’re clearly incompatible. Why do you keep trying? What do you want from me?” Mina sighed, dipping her head so her bangs covered more of her face. There were three beats of silence. The suspense was painful, there hadn’t been silence since Mina’s blunder earlier, and it made panic crawl up Mina’s throat. Mina hesitantly tilted her head back up to look at Nayeon, who was staring at Mina with her lower lip tucked between her teeth.

“There’s something about you, Mina, that makes me want to protect you.” Nayeon stated softly. She reached up and smoothed the back of her finger against Mina’s cheek, causing shivers to run up Mina’s spine. Mina held her breath as Nayeon left a pregnant pause before continuing, “You’re so gentle, but there’s- a loneliness? I can feel it. I don’t want it to be there anymore, Mina. I want to be with you now, if that’s what you want too. I like to think I’m good at reading people, and you’re surprisingly expressive considering how little you speak.”

Mina was speechless. Nayeon was a whirlwind, she was constantly moving and drifting freely. Mina doesn’t understand how Nayeon could possibly pay so much attention to her whilst maintaining such energy. Her heart constricted as she considered how tempting the offer sounded. 

Mina craved Nayeon; the softness of her caresses, the loudness of her laughter and the gentleness in the way she looked at Mina. It felt like Nayeon looked at Mina, _really_ looked, and more importantly, she actually _saw_ , she saw something beyond what Mina could provide her. Nayeon was everything that Mina wasn’t, but she was also everything that Mina was missing. She felt something, something outside of her own despair, a feeling deep inside of her that felt like the flickering of the flames that she thought had long faded to ashes. She felt _hope._ Mina allowed a smile to spread across her face, and watched as Nayeon’s widened to match her own. Mina let herself be deluded. 

“Can I, perhaps, take that as a yes?” Nayeon asked with a teasing grin. Mina ducked her head shyly.

“I-I think you probably could”.

“Well, in that case, can I have your number, so we can arrange to see each other again?” Nayeon asked, pulling her phone from her pocket.

Mina’s breath caught in her throat. Right, a number. That thing that people who aren’t imprisoned 364 days a year because of a curse from an old woman possess. The flames dimmed a bit more. She had been so caught up, she forgot that this was her one day a year where she could wander for a couple of hours. There was no way to see Nayeon again. The tendrils of dread began to rise again.

“I-, um, don’t have one.” Mina said, head hung in shame.

Nayeon cocked an eyebrow. “Well, in that case I suppose we just do it the old-fashioned way. Meet here tomorrow at 10?”

Mina winced in response. “My mother, she...” How exactly does one describe someone harnessing powers of evil? “She, um, doesn’t let me go out often. She isn’t always a nice person.” Perhaps a mild understatement, but it was the best Mina could provide without making Nayeon bolt in the other direction, taking the last fragment of Mina’s hope with her.

Nayeon’s eyes shone with sympathy. “Oh. Well, how about I just sneak in your window? My teenage years have taught me to be pretty good at that.” Mina blushed, _again_ , at the implications. 

That sounded like a terrible idea. Mina didn’t doubt that if her mother ever caught Nayeon, she’d lose all outside privileges. Oh, and Nayeon would most probably lose her unblemished skin. She couldn’t. How could she do that to Nayeon? The girl deserved the world, she couldn’t repay her kindness with such selfishness. Mina dropped her head and sighed, conflicted.

“Mina.” Mina’s head jerked back up to meet Nayeon’s gaze. “Do something for yourself. Stop worrying so much. Just live.”

Just live. Stop worrying. Mina couldn’t hold back her scoff. Nayeon had no idea. But do something for herself? Maybe... maybe she could do that. Letting Nayeon sneak into her room once couldn’t hurt. Her mother followed a strict routine, Mina could do this. It would just be once, something for herself.

“Okay.”

“Okay? You know, one day I’ll get more than one sentence at a time from you.” Nayeon chuckled, pushing Mina’s shoulder gently. 

One day. 

That almost sounded like a promise.

  
  


It ended up being more than just once.

… 

Mina glanced at the clock on the wall, nervously running her tongue over the front of her teeth. Nayeon was 23 minutes late. Nayeon was _never_ late. Well, she had never been late in the 3 months since they first met. Perhaps Mina was naive to think she knew the girl. 

Her thoughts raced with scenarios of Nayeon dropping from the window to tell her that she was done with this, that this whole arrangement was too far-fetched and that Nayeon doesn’t want to spend time with someone who uses the phrase ‘far-fetched’ when she’s spiralling and- 

The sound of someone clearing their throat made Mina jump up from the bed and whip her body to the source of the noise. 

“Spacing out again, were we?” Nayeon was grinning ear-to-ear. Mina ducked her head to hide her blush. It was infuriatingly embarrassing how well Nayeon could read Mina, whilst Mina could only feel her head spin whenever she thought of the girl in front of her. 

Nayeon’s hair was free-flowing down her shoulders, perfectly straight. She had on a light layer of make-up, minus the sprinkles of glitter Mina noticed on Nayeon’s temple. The sight made Mina fight the urge to roll her eyes from fondness, the girl was so dramatic. Nayeon’s white t-shirt was tucked into her black jeans, but the black leather jacket pulled over it was new. Mina hadn’t seen it before. Mina spent so much time staring at the woman in front of her that she would definitely remember if Nayeon had worn it previously. Especially considering how ridiculously attractive she looked in it. Nayeon’s hands were tucked behind her back, accentuating the slight broadness of her shoulders. 

Mina had long abandoned trying to convince herself she didn’t have feelings for the older girl. How could she not? She was only human and Nayeon was nothing short of extraordinary. And Mina was deprived. Seeing Nayeon felt like the first sip of water after hiking through the desert. You want to show restraint, because you know that if you drink too much at once then your body won’t be able to handle it. Yet as soon as you tilt the water into your mouth, you let the rest come gushing down your throat in your desperation. 

Nayeon gave Mina no reason to show self-restraint, to hold back; the woman giving Mina her everything without abandon. She didn’t mind that Mina often didn’t know what to say, and she didn’t probe at the unconventionality of Mina’s situation. 

There was also no judgement at how painstakingly obvious Mina was with her feelings. 

Nayeon made Mina feel safe. She hadn’t known what it was like to have security until Nayeon marched into her life, but now all she could do was hold onto it with both hands until Nayeon finally saw sense and decided to retract her kindness. Mina might treasure Nayeon, but she wouldn’t allow herself to be shocked when Nayeon reached her breaking point and realised Mina was a lost cause. 

“Minariii! You’re _still_ spacing.” Nayeon whined petulantly, pouting. Nayeon brought a hand from behind her back to wave in front of Mina’s eyes. “What’s a girl gotta do to get some attention around here?” 

“S-Sorry, Nayeon-unnie.” One day Mina would learn how to stop being flustered around Nayeon. Today was not that day. “I just wasn’t sure that you were going to show up.” 

That isn’t what Mina had wanted to say, that made it sound accusational. Nayeon didn’t have to show up anyway, what was Mina saying? Mina opened her mouth to rectify her mistake, but Nayeon placed her hand over Mina’s mouth before the words could leave. 

“Nope. Stopping you right there. I’ve been here less than two minutes and you’ve already used one out of three of your daily quota of ‘sorry’. If you continue that sentence then we’re gonna be two thirds of the way there.” Mina had to resist the urge to touch the place where Nayeon’s hand had been as she pulled it away. “But I’ll tell you something you could say to me instead…” Nayeon trailed off, cocking her eyebrow at Mina in the way Mina had learnt signalled that she wanted Mina to ask her to expand. 

She could do that. 

“What do you want me to say?” Mina asked curiously. 

“Ah, wonderful, just what I was hoping you’d ask. You can thank me.” The smile returned to Nayeon’s face. It was so beautiful that it was _blinding_ . Mina wasn’t sure she had ever seen such excitement in the other girl’s eyes before, and she was excited about _everything_. 

“But I’m only allowed to say thank you three times a day as well.” Nayeon had quickly gotten bored of Mina constantly thanking Nayeon for spending time with her. Nayeon rolled her eyes and huffed. 

“Well, Mina-yah, if you ask me what you’re thanking me for then you’ll see that it’s worthy of one of your three a day.” Nayeon was looking at Mina with playful exasperation, but Nayeon was bouncing on her feet slightly, failing to hide her growing excitement. 

“Oh, um. Okay, what am I thanking you for?”

“Finally! Okay, you know how you told me a couple of weeks ago about your stuffed teddy when you were younger, Maxi?” Nayeon asked. 

Mina did remember. She had told Nayeon about how Maxi had been one of her best friends in the world, other than Dahyun and Tzuyu, since she was 3. But her mother had thrown Maxi in the trash when she realised that the teddy bear had the ability to stop Mina crying and prevented her from getting her diamond fill. 

Mina had left out the part about the diamonds, leaving the other part about her mother’s reasoning. Mina could never tell Nayeon everything, but it was reassuring to let Nayeon comfort her about some parts. Besides, Mina had to reveal fragments of the truth to even begin to explain why they could meet only in the safety of Mina’s bedroom. Oh, and why Nayeon wasn’t allowed to use the front or back door. “ _Mina_.” 

Mina looked up, shrugging her shoulders slightly in a silent apology as yet another blush spread across her cheeks at being caught in her reverie. 

“Yes, I remember. Why do you ask?” Mina asked inquisitively. Nayeon never normally brought up anything traumatic from Mina’s past (and present), she always waited for Mina to instigate it. 

“Weeeell, I may have spent the last couple of weeks scouring every shop, _and_ online,” Nayeon pulled her hand from behind her back, “To find this lil’ fella.” 

Mina gasped slightly at the plush in Nayeon’s outstretched hands. It was so cute. It was a penguin plush laying flat on its stomach, the colouring a pretty pale shade of grey. It had a large stomach and its beak poked out almost in a pout. Mina reached forward and squeezed it, to see if it felt as soft as it looked. 

It was. It was adorable. Mina couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face, Nayeon’s widening as she noticed Mina’s expression. Mina covered her smile with her hand, and Nayeon tilted her head sadly at the movement. Mina’s eyes remained fixed on the penguin plush. 

“He’s so cute, Yeonnie! What are you going to name him?” Mina looked up to meet Nayeon’s shy smile. 

“I’m not naming him. I got him for you. He’s your friend now.” Nayeon stepped forward and pushed the plush into Mina’s reluctant arms. 

“Huh?” Mina began shaking her head as she took a step back, rejecting the gift. “Nayeon-unnie, I can’t accept this. You should keep him.” 

Nayeon took another stride forward, firmly pushing the penguin into Mina’s arms. “Mina-yah, it’s rude to not accept gifts.” 

“Unnie, I-I really can’t accept this. I haven’t done anything to deserve the gift, you should keep him.” Mina felt the burn behind her eyes. She might want him, but she couldn’t have him. 

“Mina. First, that’s wrong, you definitely do deserve him.” Mina sadly shook her head, not wanting to interrupt, but needing to signal her disagreement. Nayeon continued firmly, “But who cares about what we deserve? Your mother deserves to burn in hell, but here she is.” Mina flinched away from Nayeon’s words, not daring to acknowledge them. 

Mina heard Nayeon sigh and began to panic. She couldn’t accept the gift, but she had upset Nayeon. Nayeon couldn’t leave, she couldn’t handle Nayeon leaving and knowing she would never come back. She couldn’t. She was selfish, Nayeon deserved better and yet here Mina stood, a disappointment, just as she always has been. 

Mina felt hands cup her cheeks. Nayeon’s eyes were soft, her words even softer. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, even if I think it’s true.” Nayeon soothed her fingers across Mina’s cheeks, just as she had on their first meeting. “Mina. I know there are some things you aren’t telling me, and that’s okay, I’ll wait for whenever you’re ready. But I care about you. You’re the favourite part of my day. I know I talk a _lot_ ,” they shared a smile at the words, “But there are things I don’t say too.” 

Mina couldn’t form words with Nayeon so close to her face, with Nayeon touching her so softly. 

Thankfully, Nayeon knew to continue, “I think you’re wonderful. You have every right to complain about this life, but you never have. And you’re still here, after everything. You’re the strongest person I will ever meet. But you’re not just strong, you’re _kind_. You try to listen to everything I say, even if you get lost in your own head sometimes. I know I can be a lot, and that I probably overwhelm you, but you always persist. People haven’t always been that kind to me. I want you to have him. I can’t always be with you, but you deserve to have someone who always is. So, I want you to take him. For yourself, and for me. Oh, and for his sake too.” 

“I- Thank you. Thank you, Nayeonie. I really love him. He’s adorable.” Mina didn’t know how to convey the warmth deep inside her. She didn’t understand how Nayeon could be so wonderful and still choose to spend her time here with Mina. 

If Nayeon wanted her to take the plush, she would take the damn plush. 

“You’re adorable.” Nayeon stated as she let her hands drop from Mina’s face. Mina’s eyebrows raised in surprise at the words. The teasing expression Mina expected to see on Nayeon’s face was absent, her face serious. “Seriously, Mina. I don’t think I’ve ever told you, but you’re the cutest. And you’re beautiful.” 

The tension was thick in the air. Mina could feel the thrumming of her blood in her ears. She had no idea how to respond to that. 

“Mina, don’t go spacey. You just needed to know. Now, come on. What do you wanna name him? He’s yours after all.” Hers. The word was foreign. 

Mina shook her head. “No, unnie. You should get to name him, he’s yours too.” 

Nayeon rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. “ _Fine_. Make a girl do everything.” And just like that, the tension dissipated and Mina felt like she could breathe again. 

“We’re calling him Squishy.” 

Mina looked at Nayeon suspiciously. “Squishy?” 

“Yes, Minari, _Squishy._ He’s made for cuddles, it’s fitting.” 

“Okay, he can be called Squishy. It suits him.” Mina paused to glance at the ceiling. “Nayeon-unnie,” Nayeon hummed in acknowledgement. 

“Thank you for thinking of me.” 

“Mina, I think part of me is always thinking about you.” Nayeon admitted quietly. “I feel connected to you, do you… Do you feel that too?” The uncertainty in Nayeon’s voice wasn’t something Mina often heard, and she refused to let it slide. Despite her discomfort, Mina forced herself to maintain eye contact as she said her next words. 

“I do.” Mina needed Nayeon to know that she meant it more than she had ever meant anything else. 

Nayeon stayed quiet, her eyes breaking the contact to delicately trace across Mina’s features. “I’ve always wondered how many freckles you have on your face.” 

Mina blinked at the statement. Nayeon always said what strange things were on her mind, yet for some reason, the sentence felt heavy. Momentous, almost. Mina eyed Nayeon curiously. 

“Oh, well, um. I guess you could just count them.” 

Nayeon took Mina’s hand and led them to sit on the edge of the bed, turning her body so that they could face each other. “I’m gonna take you up on that offer.” 

Nayeon tilted Mina’s head to bring their eyes level. She brought her hand up to press against the freckles dotted across Mina’s nose and forehead, counting softly under her breath. 

“Four, five…” Nayeon traced her finger against Mina’s bottom lip. “Six.” 

When it came to the final freckle above Mina’s top lip, Nayeon brought her gaze to stare deeply into Mina’s eyes. Mina could hardly breathe as Nayeon slowly inched closer to Mina’s face, her breath hitching as Nayeon let her lips brush faintly against her own. 

“Mina.” The word was whispered against her lips, Mina ascending from the proximity. Nayeon gently nudged Mina’s nose with her own, and Mina knew Nayeon wouldn’t be the one to properly close the gap. 

She had given Mina the choice. 

Mina had never had a choice before. 

Mina’s eyes closed as she steeled her courage, tilting her head and pressing more fully against Nayeon’s lips. Their teeth knocked slightly, yet as Mina went to apologise for her inexperience, a hand trailed up her neck to keep their lips together. Mina could have cried in relief when she felt Nayeon’s lips start to move against her own, leading the kiss. 

If Mina’s head had been spinning previously, her brain was now on the brink of oscillating off a cliff. All of her senses screamed Nayeon. All she could feel was Nayeon settling deep inside every fibre of her being, the softness in the kiss threatening to drown her. Nayeon was intoxicating. Mina didn’t realise that a kiss so gentle could threaten to tear her apart so violently, yet still promise to piece her back together. 

Whilst Mina normally struggled to switch off her thoughts, now, only one thought consumed her. 

Nayeon. 

The word ran through her head on an endless loop, even after Nayeon pulled back, resting her forehead against Mina’s. Mina chased her lips, dazed. She felt like she might suffocate unless her lips were connected to Nayeon’s again. 

“Seven,” Nayeon whispered breathlessly. “You have seven”. 

Before Mina could respond, perhaps tell her that she was _sure_ she had eight the last time she counted, Nayeon surged forward. A hand pushed into Mina’s hair to ensure the distance between them stayed non-existent. Mina felt her arms wind around Nayeon’s neck without her instruction, her brain turning to mush at her intense need to be closer to the older girl. 

Nayeon had always confused Mina. But now she was confused in the best possible way. It didn’t make sense how Mina felt so overwhelmed, yet so protected in Nayeon’s presence. How she felt like she could float away in her embrace, yet her closeness promised to be the only thing keeping her grounded. There were so many things Mina didn’t understand about the outside world. But maybe here, in their bubble of safety, Mina didn’t need to understand. She just had to let herself feel the optimism that she had long buried within her heart. 

Mina had never let herself dare to dream of running but here, with Nayeon pressed against her, she didn’t need to run anymore. Nayeon was enough. 

Nayeon broke the kiss to press her lips against the tip of Mina’s nose, giggling at the heat rising to both of their cheeks. 

Mina knew in that moment that being Nayeon’s was the closest she would ever get to freedom. 

“Nayeonnie, what made you pick Squishy?” Mina asked later, her head resting on Nayeon’s chest. 

“Because you walk with your feet out turned slightly when you walk. I noticed it the first time we met. It’s endlessly entertaining.” Nayeon informed her, fumbling her hand across Mina’s face until she could light-heartedly pinch Mina’s cheek. 

“I-I’m glad I could entertain you, then.” 

“You’re my favourite, Mina.” Nayeon whispered into the darkness. 

“You’re my favourite too, unnie.” 

“Even if you do walk like a penguin.” 

“Nayeonnie!” 

… 

  
  


Mina watched as Nayeon frowned at the rubix cube in front of her. She had been trying, to no avail, to solve the puzzle. 

“Mina-yah, how did you do it so _fast_?” Nayeon questioned impatiently. Mina watched as she turned the squares back in the direction she had moved them from, shaking her head slightly in amusement. 

“I had a lot of time to practice.” 5 months ago, the weight of the words would have made Mina close in on herself. Well, she wouldn’t have said the words to anyone 5 months ago, but that's besides the point. Now, she merely let her lips quirk into a small smile as she watched Nayeon huff and glare at the rubix cube before throwing it behind her to land on the pillow. She crossed her arms, looking very much like a child. 

Mina felt the familiar ache in her chest as she watched the girl in front of her with fondness. The thought that Nayeon may as well have been hand-crafted to complement Mina crossed her mind again. There was nothing Mina treasured more than these moments with Nayeon. Well, any moment with Nayeon. Mina’s mind buzzed with the implications of that knowledge. 

Mina had never denied her feelings for Nayeon, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to push down the vehement swelling of her heart whenever she looked at the older girl. And Mina was losing sight of the reasons that had caused her to hold back those certain words for the past few weeks. Nayeon made Mina feel braver than she thought she could ever be. 

Mina didn’t often initiate contact of any kind, too afraid of crossing boundaries and causing Nayeon to leave. But as she watched Nayeon’s pout deepen and her brows furrow, she couldn’t stop herself surging forward to press her lips to the corner of Nayeon’s mouth. 

Her actions were rewarded as Nayeon’s grin replaced her pout. Mina took a deep breath, summoning every ounce of courage that had failed her throughout her life. Looking at Nayeon now, she knew she had to do something. It couldn’t wait any longer. 

“I-, I’m so in love with you.” Mina whispered as she pulled back an inch from Nayeon’s face. Nayeon’s grin calmed to a small, fond smile. Nayeon turned her head so the tips of their noses brushed together. Nayeon bumped her nose against Mina’s, an action that made Mina’s heart ache at both the softness and the familiarity. 

“I know.” Because Nayeon always knew. And it was one of the many reasons Mina couldn’t go another day without making sure she told Nayeon that she was ridiculously in love with her. 

Mina didn’t need to hear Nayeon say it back, she had said it enough times, never once expecting Mina to reciprocate. She had just wanted to make sure that Mina didn’t doubt her feelings. Nayeon had never expected anything from Mina. The genuinity of every lingering look and touch from Nayeon made Mina feel as if she was soaring. Her love for her girlfriend was liberating. Mina couldn’t bring herself to try to dampen her own hopes as she might have done in the past, allowing them to stretch from her the shadows of her heart outwards. “What are you thinking?” 

Mina couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her lips, not bothering to lift her hand to cover the evidence of her euphoria. Instead, she covered it with Nayeon’s lips, pressing her mouth against Nayeon’s. Mina was smiling far too much to kiss the other girl properly, giggling against Nayeon’s mouth. The action made Nayeon chuckle too. 

“I love you, Nayeonnie.” Mina confessed again, just because she could. Nayeon rolled her eyes fondly. 

“I mean, I suppose there is quite a lot about me to love.” 

“Like your modesty?” Mina asked, acting antagonised at her girlfriend’s words. 

“Mm, I think we both know you prefer it when I lack modesty.” Mina was putty in Nayeon’s hands. Mina habitually ducked her head and shook her head, both exasperated and flustered at the painfully accurate statement. 

“Maybe.” 

“Oh, just maybe?” Mina felt herself being pushed flat against the bed by her shoulders, Nayeon quickly mounting her lap and leaning over Mina’s head. Her thighs bracketed Mina’s hips, her hair framing her head carelessly. “You _love_ me, remember?” Nayeon teased, sticking her tongue out at Mina. 

Mina blushed, the words sounding different on Nayeon’s tongue. “Regrettably.” 

“You’re really asking for it, Mina-yah, respect your unnie.” Nayeon’s hands slipped underneath Mina’s shirt, her fingers pressing over the expanse of Mina’s abs. Mina sucked in a harsh breath at the cold touch. “Or else…” Nayeon trailed off. 

“O-Or else what?” The visible effect that Nayeon had on Mina had yet to wane. Mina may have grown more confident in regards to most aspects of their relationship, but Nayeon would never fail to render Mina speechless whenever she so desired. Nayeon’s fingers drifted lower, smoothing over the soft skin of Mina’s hipbone. 

“Or else this.” Nayeon’s fingers shot up suddenly, tickling the dips of Mina’s waist. Mina let out quiet yelp at the sudden assault, raising her arms to push at Nayeon’s shoulders in a desperate attempt to get the older girl to relent. 

“No no no, unnie!” Mina’s voice came out strangled as she descended into a fit of quiet giggles.

“I’m not hearing an apology, Minari.” Nayeon said happily, sounding far too pleased with herself. 

“Nayeonnie, I’m sorry. Stoooop!” Nayeon finally ceased her attack, staring down at Mina as the younger girl’s chest heaved. 

“All you had to do was ask, baby.” Nayeon smirked. She leaned down and placed a chaste kiss against Mina’s jaw. Nayeon pulled back, analysing Mina for a moment before speaking, “You’re beautiful, Mina. I love you too.” 

Mina smiled bashfully. “You’re a flatterer.” 

“Mm, no, I think I’m just honest.” Nayeon bent back down, pressing her lips against Mina’s neck. Mina’s heart stuttered in her chest until Nayeon blew a raspberry into the skin of Mina’s neck. 

“Nayeon! It tickles!” Mina yelped, more giggles erupting from her throat. 

Mina was broken from her laughter by the tell-tale clicking of heels up the marble staircase. Mina’s breath caught in her throat, fear shooting throughout her body. 

Why was she home now? She shouldn’t be home for another hour, Mina had checked over Nayeon’s shoulder after she had entered through the window. 

“Minari?” Nayeon’s voice yanked Mina out of her thoughts and forced her into action.

“N-Nayeon, she shouldn’t be here. P-please, just- just.” Mina looked helplessly around her room. “Under the bed. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Mina pushed Nayeon towards the edge of the bed. 

Nayeon eyed Mina skeptically, scanning across her features. She must have found what she was searching for, her lithe form slipping under the bed and shuffling further from the door as it swung open. Mina was halfway between her bed and going to close the window as she came face to face with her mother. Mina didn’t know how to not look suspicious when she was so clearly guilty. The space between Mina’s bed and her window had never seemed so vast as Mina stood stranded between them.

“And what exactly do you think you’re doing, daughter?” Mina’s mother scrutinised her suspiciously. “Planning an escape, were we?”

“N-no, mother, of course not. I would never do that to you.” Mina spluttered, twisting her hands in her lap. 

“Good. It’s not like you would make it without me anyway. We both know you’re damaged, Mina, far beyond my fixing. Well, beyond anyone’s fixing, really. Not that anyone would ever want to get close enough to even try. I’m the only one who could ever be foolish enough to love you.” Mina’s mother’s laugh sent ice through Mina’s heart. “But because you’re my daughter, it’s my duty. Just as I’ve made it my duty to control your curse.”

Mina’s heart stopped, silently willing her mother to stop speaking. Nayeon couldn’t find out, she was the only thing keeping Mina’s head above water. Anything, _anything_ but losing Nayeon. She had to stop her mother from continuing.

“Y-You aren’t doing a very good job of controlling me, mother.” 

_Anything_ but losing Nayeon. 

Mina felt the strike sting across her cheek. Her body jolted to the left at the harsh impact. Her mother caught her chin between her thumb and forefinger, spitting in her face.

“You are a fucking monster, Mina. After everything I do for you, _this_ is the insolence I get in return?” Mina felt nails dig into her jaw before she was forcefully pushed backwards, her body landing roughly on the floor beside her bed.

Mina turned her head to meet Nayeon’s eyes. The older woman’s eyes were blown wide, her pupils shaking. Nayeon pushed her hands to the ground as if to move herself forward. Mina shook her head slightly. “Shh.” She looked desperately at Nayeon, praying to every deity that she had long lost faith in that Nayeon wouldn’t move.

“What the fuck did you just say to me? Mina, you know I don’t like doing this, but you are just _begging_ for it.”

Mina felt a hand in her hair, yanking her upwards onto her feet. Mina let out a gasp as shoots of pain ran through her. Tears formed in her eyes, but she knew they wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her mother today.

“Oh, you’re crying now? _Good_ . It’s the only thing you’re good for.” More tears began to flow at the words, as the truth of them hit Mina square in her chest. “You are the reason your father left. Why would he want such _filth_ as a daughter?” The words stabbed through Mina, no matter how many times she heard the same words, the truth in them never failed to rip Mina apart at the seams.

“P-Please, I’m sorry.” Mina’s mind had gone blank, the self-hatred seeping into every fibre of her body. She just wanted to be enough, she wanted to be good enough to be loved. Good enough to be allowed to be free. She wanted to be good enough to deserve better than this.

The sound of the slap across her other cheek sounded through the room.

But she wasn’t good enough to deserve anything more than this. 

Mina allowed the momentum of the slap to bring her to her knees, crumpling in on herself. Mina allowed the steady stream of her tears, not bringing her hands up to hide her face. This would be over faster if she just did what she was good at. As solid diamonds fell into her lap, more hastened to form. Mina allowed her sobs to echo through the room, not bothering to quieten them.

Her mother didn’t step forward until the last of Mina’s tears had fallen. Mina glanced up tiredly as she felt her mother’s form loom over her. The dozens of diamonds were transferred from Mina’s lap into a bag, before her mother turned on her heel and exited the room without a word. The slam of the door caused a dull thump to resound throughout Mina’s chest around where she guessed her heart once was.

A moment passed in silence, Mina staring blankly ahead. Exhaustion settled deep inside her. She didn’t have the energy to flinch as a hand cupped the inflamed area of her right cheek. She registered movement in front of her eyes, sound travelling muffled through her ears as if she were underwater. Maybe Mina was actually drowning. Her head was tilted up and she finally recognised the form in front of her.

“Unnie.” Mina’s voice cracked on the single word. 

She didn’t know how to ask for what she wanted. Did she even know what she wanted? She wanted Nayeon to crawl inside her heart and keep it shelter. She wanted Nayeon to lie and tell her that she loved her and that she was safe. She wanted Nayeon to wrap her arms around her and rock her to sleep. She wanted her chest to stop feeling hollow. She wanted it to stop. The only common denominator was Nayeon. She wanted Nayeon. 

But she had never been good at using her words.

Nayeon had never needed Mina to speak using words.

Nayeon sat beside Mina and pulled her into her lap, tucking Mina into her chest. Mina had no more tears left for today, but it didn’t stop her shuddering breaths as she tried to speak. Nayeon cradled Mina’s head, quietly cooing into her ear, “I’ve got you. I promise I’m here. I’ve got you, Mina. '' Her words were accompanied by gentle swaying left and right.

Mina wanted to sink into the embrace and slip into a deep sleep, but her mind had begun racing. This wasn’t meant to happen. Mina had been weak. She had let herself cry in front of Nayeon. There was no way that Mina was lucky or competent enough to convince Nayeon that what she had seen was a trick of her eyes. Mina was fucked. Nayeon had to choose to leave now; not even Nayeon could be compassionate after what she had seen today. 

Mina felt her body begin to shut down. She was so exhausted. Nayeon’s voice was too gentle in her ear, her presence too comforting to fight. The last coherent thought Mina had before she slipped into unconsciousness was that she needed Nayeon to still be here when she woke up. 


	2. two.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> did someone say angst with a happy ending? 
> 
> or 
> 
> mina's mother had to find out eventually

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, tw for psychological parental abuse. please be safe!!

Mina blinked her eyes open heavily, groaning at the pounding in her head and behind her eyes. She felt soft motions through her hair, the sensation almost enough to drag her back into her slumber. Mina forced herself awake, blinking rapidly to try to adjust to her environment. 

Nayeon was sitting with her back against the headboard, eyes trained on Mina’s face. Mina’s head was settled on a pillow that was positioned on Nayeon’s lap. Nayeon smiled softly once she realised Mina was awake. Mina felt her heart flutter in her chest, before remembering the reason why Nayeon was still in her bed. Mina shot upwards, jolting into Nayeon as she felt nausea spread throughout her stomach. 

“No, baby, don’t move too fast. Your body is too tired for that,” Nayeon chided her, pushing Mina back down to the pillow by her shoulder, “Try and relax.” 

“You’re still here?” Mina asked in disbelief. Why would Nayeon not slip out the window the moment Mina had fallen asleep? Instead, she had moved them from the floor to the bed and petted Mina’s head until she woke up. 

Mina couldn’t wrap her head around the unadulterated goodness that was Im Nayeon. 

Nayeon frowned slightly. “Of course I’m here, I promised I would be.” 

Mina nodded, a sense of foreboding rushing her senses. Mina knew Nayeon must be curious, but she was also aware that Nayeon would know Mina wasn’t ready to tell her yet. But since when had what Mina needed been important? Mina slowly pushed herself up, shifting her body so that she was facing Nayeon, returning the pillow that her head had been resting on to its usual spot on the bed. 

Mina took a deep breath, steeling herself to speak. “I-I should explain.” 

Nayeon shook her head. “You don’t have to.” 

“Yes, I do. Do you want to know?” Nayeon nodded her head, looking hesitant, “Then I want you to know. Besides, you deserve to be told everything.” 

And so Mina told her. 

_ Mina skipped down the street with a vigour that only a 12 year old could muster. Maxi was tucked soundly under her arm as she twirled excitedly. As she turned the corner, she saw Tzuyu standing with her hands clasped in front of her. The taller girl looked up as she heard Mina’s footsteps, a shy smile spreading across her face at the sight of her friend. Tzuyu raised her hand to wave.  _

_ “Hi, Tzuyu,” Mina spoke softly as she approached the girl, “How are you doing?”  _

_ “Hello, Mina,” Tzuyu bowed slightly before continuing, “I am good, thank you for asking.” The younger girl spoke in formal Korean, the language still slightly awkward on her tongue. But Mina didn’t mind, she understood what it was like to try to learn a new language so quickly. Mina found it endearing. “How are you?”  _

_ Mina smiled. “I’m good, thanks! Where’s Minjoong?” Mina asked, frown on her face as she noticed Tzuyu’s toy dog was absent. They were supposed to be playing with their teddies together at the park to celebrate the beginning of spring break.  _

_ Mina’s frown deepened as she noticed the tears in her friend’s eyes. “I accidentally broke him. His ear is…” Tzuyu trailed off as confusion covered her face. She gestured a ripping motion with her hands. Mina nodded in understanding.  _

_ “His ear is ripped?” Tzuyu nodded sadly at the words. “He’ll be good soon, your mother can sew him, right?” Tzuyu nodded again, “Exactly! Until then, you can hold Maxi.”  _

_ The smile returned to Tzuyu’s face, her dimples appearing and making Mina’s heart warm at the sight. Mina placed Maxi in Tzuyu’s hand, before linking their arms and stepping in the direction of the park.  _

_ They walked in comfortable silence. Mina understood that Tzuyu wasn’t confident enough to speak long sentences in Korean yet, so Mina didn’t mind her frequent silences. Sometimes Mina liked to speak and Tzuyu would let Mina share her thoughts whenever she had something on her mind. But the younger girl was also happy to embrace Mina’s silence too.  _

_ The walk to the park was short. Mina led Tzuyu to the swing set so they could sit. “Wanna see a new thing they taught me in ballet?” Mina asked Tzuyu excitedly.  _

_ Tzuyu smiled and nodded her head, starting to swing herself back and forth.  _

_ Mina took a deep breath before demonstrating the move she had learnt yesterday. Mina liked doing ballet. She wanted to make her mother proud of her for something. Mina didn’t like that she always seemed so sad. Sometimes her sadness made her mean to Mina too.  _

_ Mina didn’t like that either.  _

_ As she pointed her toes to finish the move, Tzuyu jumped off the swing set mid-air, landing so she could clap her hands excitedly. The sight made Mina’s chest bubble with pride.  _

_ Maybe her mother would like it too.  _

_ “You.” Mina turned around at the unfamiliar voice. Mina was faced with a hooded woman. Mina could see wrinkles on her hands. The woman’s posture was hunched over, as if she were tired. Mina took a step back from the woman, feeling unsettled. _

_ “Child. You.” The woman continued, closing the distance Mina had put between them. “I’m sorry, child.”  _

_ Mina cocked her head in confusion and pointed at herself. “Eh? Me?”  _

_ “I must pass this curse to someone, or else it will consume me. My tether can only be broken if I burden someone else. But you will be stuck with it forever, for my mistakes.” The woman uncovered her face. Her eyes were a dull grey, haunting in their lifelessness. Mina covered her mouth in shock.  _

_ “Child, I can only hope you have people around you who will not abuse your power for their own benefit,” The woman looked past Mina to where Tzuyu stood, nodding to herself. “My selfishness got me in this position, but now it will get me out of it.”  _

_ Mina did not understand the words. Mina couldn’t work out if her Korean was failing her or if the woman simply spoke in riddles. Before Mina could work out how to politely ask the woman to explain, she lunged forward and gripped Mina by the shoulders. Mina could only squeak in surprise. Mina glanced around her helplessly.  _

_ Everything was suspended. The birds above her were mid-flight, the grass slanted slightly from the breeze. Mina’s gaze returned to the woman in front of her, struggling against her grip as fear began to seize her. Mina wanted to go home.  _

_ But when Mina’s eyes met the woman’s, she stopped struggling. Where her eyes were once grey, they now shone with white light. Mina was entranced. All she could do was stare into the light.  _

_ The next thing Mina knew, there was darkness.  _

Mina sighed deeply, refusing to look up at her girlfriend. She couldn’t look at Nayeon if she wanted to finish the story. 

“When I woke up, Tzuyu was shaking and hugging Maxi. I knew at that moment that whatever had just happened was real and that Tzuyu had seen it too. She ran and took Maxi with her. Not that I blame her, she was only ten, she wanted to go to her mother.” Mina shook her head sadly as she thought of the terror in Tzuyu’s eyes. “I didn’t mean to scare her. It was my fault.” 

“Mina, how could it possibly be your fault?” Nayeon asked incredulously. Mina lowered her head further at the tone, Nayeon was frustrated. And Mina was the cause of it. Nayeon continued, “You were a child. This could never have been your fault. A 12 year old can’t be evil, you were a  _ kid _ . You were just… So, so unlucky that the woman chose you to pass the,” Nayeon paused, “ _ curse _ to you.” Nayeon said the word as if it were too heavy for her mouth. 

That made Mina’s head shoot up. “You don’t believe me?” Mina couldn’t keep the hurt from her voice. Mina had never been encouraged to hide her pain before and she was struggling to mask it now as she was forced to confront her girlfriend. 

Nayeon shuffled closer to Mina on the bed, “Of course I believe you, Mina. I just saw the evidence of it with my own eyes. It’s just…” Nayeon trailed off, “A lot.” 

Mina let out a humourless laugh. “That’s one way of putting it.” 

Silence entered the room. Mina looked back towards Nayeon’s collarbone, unsure of how to look her girlfriend in the eyes. Mina didn’t know what to say, terrified of saying the wrong thing that would make Nayeon leave her alone in the bed. Nayeon seemed lost in her own thoughts. 

“Can I ask questions?” Nayeon asked, keeping her voice low. Mina nodded. “How did your mother find out?” 

Mina took a steadying breath, preparing herself to speak again. She knew that the rest of the story only got more bleak. 

“I told her. I went straight back home and I told her. But, obviously, she didn’t believe me. She just brushed it off as her child’s annoying imagination and told me to go to my room. But when she came up to my room later to bring me my dinner, I was just sitting there with a pile of diamonds. I-” Mina cut herself off, trying to find the words to explain, “I just didn’t get it. One minute I was crying, and the next thing I noticed was a pile of shiny things on my lap. I think I was scared. But it didn’t hurt, not really. My eyes just hurt from crying. Before I had the chance to start panicking about it, mother had come in and seen them.

“She still didn’t want to accept it, of course. Who would? She started raising her voice and told me that I stole them, which didn’t make much sense. But I didn’t like it when she shouted, so it made me start crying again. I guess it’s a lot harder to deny that your daughter has encountered some soft of mystical person when her tears turn to diamonds before your own eyes. At first she was horrified, but after a while she realised that the only thing that had changed about me was my tears. From then on, she finally saw some use in me.” 

Mina reached up to wipe the tears that had started to form in her eyes, but Nayeon beat her to it. She brushed her thumbs across Mina’s eyelids, stopping the tears from gathering before they had a chance to harden. 

Mina still refused to look up. Instead, she continued, “I told you before that my father never wanted me, but when he finally left when I was six I think he hurt my mother beyond repair. So, she rightfully blamed me for him leaving. And when she realised that she could sell the diamonds for money, she gathered them up and went to different sellers all over the country so that it wouldn’t look suspicious. But she soon ran out. Ever since then, she’s done everything she can to make sure she never runs out again. Whenever she starts to get low, she’ll make sure that I cry. Sometimes she’ll do it even if she hasn’t run out. I think having a big stock makes her feel better.” 

“Why didn’t you tell anyone? People could have taken you away from her, Mina. She isn’t allowed to treat her child like this.” Nayeon asked, poorly veiled anger evident in her tone. Mina panicked, not wanting Nayeon to be angry with her. Mina chose now to finally look up. She needed Nayeon to understand. 

Mina needed Nayeon to understand why Mina could never leave. 

“I couldn’t.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because I was finally a good daughter. All I’ve ever done for my mother is ruin her marriage, and then force her to take care of me, the person that ruined her life. I- With the diamonds, I could finally give her some happiness. She’s my mother, Nayeon-unnie, she’s all I have. She stopped me from seeing Tzuyu and Dahyun.” 

Mina thought of Tzuyu standing sadly outside her door, Maxi in hand as Mina told her they couldn’t be friends anymore. As the door had closed, Mina watched Tzuyu’s face fall and the tears that began to stream down her cheeks. 

All Mina had ever been good at was hurting the people that she cared about. 

“She told me that no-one could be trusted, that people would abuse my power once they found out, that no-one would ever care for me as a person. My mother is the only one who cares for me. She said it would be better if I pushed everyone away when I went back to school, that it would be better if I stopped speaking to everyone. No-one could betray me that way. And once I finished school at 16, she said it would be safer if I stayed at home all the time. 

“But I think she got carried away. It must be hard to be the only person who can help control the curse. So, she started getting…” Mina took a shaky breath, “Um, cruel. Before, she let me keep some things that made me happy, so long as they didn’t stop me crying, like Maxi did. But she started replacing all of my books with tragedies, she banned me from happy music. Things like that. I think she’s scared of losing everything that she’s gained.” 

Mina watched as tears developed in Nayeon’s eyes. Her eyes widened in shock, her heart tugging painfully. She hadn’t meant to make Nayeon sad. “I-I’m sorry. Maybe I should stop speaking…” Mina suggests, preparing to shuffle further away from where her girlfriend was sat. 

“No. Come here. Please.” Mina had never seen Nayeon’s eyes look so desperate, immediately complying. Mina lets her forehead rest against Nayeon’s, shutting her eyes at the comfort that came from the proximity. . 

“Mina, I need you to listen to me. Really, really listen.” Nayeon’s voice was firm, but the hand beginning to run through Mina’s hair stopped her worrying. 

“Okay.” 

“None of this is your fault.  _ None _ . You were six when your father left. You didn’t choose to be born, but it was  _ his  _ choice to leave. Of course, that’s awful for your mother. But no good mother would punish her child for that. That doesn’t reflect a good person. What she  _ should  _ have done when she found out about the diamonds is protect you. Not abuse you. She’s been making you feel like you were damaged from the start, but I need you to see that she’s the one keeping you in a box. She isn’t protecting you, Mina. She’s keeping you for herself. It may be true that she doesn’t want other people to abuse you, but that’s because she doesn’t want anyone else to get the diamonds for themselves,” Nayeon paused to sigh. “I don’t expect you to believe me when she’s been telling you the opposite for so long, but you don’t deserve this. You never have. You never  _ will  _ deserve to be treated so badly.” 

Mina doesn’t know what to say to that. Nayeon is wrong, no matter how much she wants to believe her, there’s no way that Mina ever could. 

She wants to cry. 

“And Mina?” Mina nods, knowing Nayeon can feel it. 

“I’m not going anywhere. So long as you want me, I’m going to be here. I’m ridiculously in love with you and that isn’t going to change. Not now, not ever.” Mina does cry at that, the tears slipping down her cheeks. She’s too tired to bother wiping them away, and she has nothing left to hide from Nayeon. Mina opens her eyes to glance at the diamonds on the pillow, before looking up at Nayeon. Mina found that she was already looking at her. 

Nayeon scooped the diamonds from the pillow, and pushed up on her right arm to shift back. Mina’s arm shot out to grab Nayeon’s hand. She quickly retracted it in embarrassment once she realised how pathetic she must look. If Nayeon wants to leave, Mina won’t stop her. Even if it means breaking her own heart during the process. 

Mina watched as Nayeon placed the diamonds on the bedside table, before settling back next to her on the bed. Nayeon pushed up again into a sitting position, reaching behind her back to unhook her bra under her t-shirt. Mina’s eyebrows shot up as she watched Nayeon place it on the floor by the bed. Nayeon reached under the covers to unbutton her jeans, trying to push them down her legs. Mina watches, confused, as Nayeon huffs and stands up to properly remove her jeans so that they pool on the floor. 

“Can I do the same for you?” Nayeon stepped out of her jeans, seemingly unperturbed about hanging them up. 

“Um, did you wanna…?” Mina trailed off, unable to force her mouth to produce the words ‘have sex’. Mina expected Nayeon to tease her as she normally would for her inability to talk about sex without tripping over her words or blushing, but she merely shook her head. 

“No, I just want you to be comfy whilst you sleep, but I don’t want you to have to get up. Your mother won’t come back up, right?” Nayeon asked, slipping back under the covers. Mina shook her head. 

“No, she doesn’t normally. But she isn’t normally home at this time either on a Wednesday, so maybe it’ll be different this time.” Mina worries at her lip, biting the skin softly. Nayeon looked over her shoulder at the clock on the bedside table. 

“It’s almost 2am, so I think she’s asleep. I didn’t hear any movement downstairs whilst you were asleep,” Nayeon said before nodding her head in the direction of the door, “Besides, I put a chair under the door handle. If she tries to come in, it’ll buy us enough time for me to hide again.” 

Mina hadn’t noticed the chair positioned under the door handle, too swept up in the whirlwind that was the aftermath of the day. Mina continued biting at her lip, paranoid that her mother would return. She didn’t want to consider the possibilities of what would happen if she found Nayeon. 

But Mina was so tired. And she really didn’t want Nayeon to leave tonight, especially not when Nayeon so clearly wanted to stay. Mina couldn’t deny Nayeon anything. 

“C-Could we set an alarm for 6? Just so we can be awake in case she does come up here in the morning.” Mina expected Nayeon to protest, maybe to say that it wasn’t worth her staying the night. But Nayeon always surprises her, nodding her head in agreement. 

“That’s a good idea. Now, do you want me to help you undress?” Nayeon flushed at her own suggestion. “I- You know, only if you want me to.” Mina had never seen Nayeon so shy about undressing Mina, and it made her soul yearn for the woman in front of her. 

“I- Yes. Please, Nayeonnie.” Mina mentally berated herself for the weakness in her voice as she laid herself flat against the bed. 

Nayeon nodded, seemingly to herself. She leant closer to Mina, her hands slipping under Mina’s top as she arched her back slightly to allow Nayeon to unhook her bra. Nayeon pushed her hand against Mina’s abs to get her to relax back into the bed, meeting Mina’s eyes as she sucked in a breath at the touch. Mina couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose in embarrassment as Nayeon smirked at her. 

“Cute.” Nayeon teased. 

“Don’t be mean.” 

“Alright, alright. Less talking, more undressing. I see your game, Minari,” Nayeon’s voice was so self-satisfied that it jabbed at the competitiveness inside Mina. She turned her head to try to hide the effect that Nayeon had on her. 

Nayeon’s ego did not need to see what she did to Mina. 

Thankfully, Nayeon let it slide. Her hands trailed under the sleeves of Mina’s top, pulling a strap down each arm. Mina felt her heart stutter as Nayeon let her fingertips caress Mina the skin of Mina’s bare arms. But Nayeon didn’t linger for long, her hand reaching back underneath the top to pull out the bra out, discarding it by the side of the bed, next to her own. 

Nayeon’s hands drifted to the button of Mina’s jeans before pausing. Mina peeked her head back towards Nayeon to see why she had stopped. The familiarity of Nayeon asking with her eyes if she could remove Mina’s jeans only served to fluster Mina more. Mina nodded and Nayeon smiled back at her, unbuttoning the jeans before gesturing for Mina to lift her hips. Nayeon pulled the jeans down Mina’s legs, tossing them over her shoulder when she was finished. 

Mina pouted at the action, “You should’ve folded them,” She mumbled, her eyes growing heavier as her exhaustion continued to hit her in waves. 

“Folding them would require far too much effort.” Nayeon said, dismissing Mina’s comment with a wave of her hand. Nayeon leant over to the bedside table to switch off the lamp by the bed. She then opened her arms for Mina to slip into. 

Mina didn’t hesitate. 

Mina scooted into her girlfriend’s open arms, turning around in her grip and waiting for Nayeon to tighten her hold, which she did. Nayeon nuzzled into Mina’s thick brown hair, nosing at her neck. There was no space between their bodies, for which Mina was grateful. She wanted to stay awake a little longer, bask in the comfort that only Nayeon could provide, but her eyes forced themselves closed. Mina made herself speak one last time before sleep claimed her, “Thank you, Yeonnie.” 

As she slipped into dreamless sleep, Mina heard Nayeon whisper into the darkness. 

“Always.” 

… 

  
  


Nayeon eased herself to ground, dropping almost silently from Mina’s window and gently closing it behind her. She glanced at the sleeping form on the bed and smiled fondly despite herself. 

The sight of the younger girl had become healing for Nayeon. 

Nayeon sighed, remembering the reason why she was here. Mina’s mother was always particularly forceful on the last day of every month, Mina had informed her. She wandered over to the bed, habitually brushing Mina’s bangs off her forehead, before replacing her fingers with her lips. Mina’s eyes flickered open, ever the light sleeper. She smiled tiredly at Nayeon, causing Nayeon to feel the familiar warmth she now associated with Mina spread throughout her entire body.

“Hi.” Mina said groggily, bringing a hand up to rub at her eyes.

“Hi, baby. Sore?” Nayeon had to swallow back the sudden anger she felt as she watched the pout spread across Mina’s face when she nodded her head in confirmation. Mina embodied exhaustion, dark circles evident under eyes, dried tear streaks staining her cheeks. The thought of the girl dealing with this for 10 long years, alone, made Nayeon feel like her heart was being physically torn from her body. 

Nayeon needed to do something. 

She sighed. ”Mina, let me get you out of this.”

Mina groaned and pushed her head back into the pillow. “Unnie, not now, please, not now. I’m so tired. So tired.”

Nayeon watched as frustrated tears formed in Mina’s eyes before she desperately swiped at them as they began to solidify. There was a cruel irony in the fact that Mina herself looked so beautiful when she cried and produced such beauty, only for it to be harnessed by the scum of the earth. “I know, Mina. But this won’t go, this won’t change by us doing nothing.”

Mina sat up abruptly, clutching her head at the movement. “Us? Since when was this  _ our _ problem? The last I checked, you're not the one suffering through this.” Mina spat. She had gotten bolder in the time Nayeon had known her, but Nayeon had never found her stubbornness anything but endearing. Until now.

“Don’t. Mina, seriously, don’t. I told you the first day I met you that you I would protect you, I’m not going back on that now.”

“Well, maybe you should. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into. And clearly you still don’t grasp it. Because you don’t listen, you hear whatever you  _ want _ to hear. There’s no saving me from this, Nayeon. I’m sorry that you found out the other day, I never  _ meant _ for you to find out. But this isn’t some fairy-tale. I can’t run from this, don’t you see that there’s no hope for me? I’ve been hopeless from the start, whilst you’ve been too stubborn to let yourself see that you saw promise in the wrong person.”

Nayeon tried to steady the rising emotions within her before the frustration could bubble at the surface. Nayeon knew Mina’s tiredness was getting the best of her, she had never been anything but submissive to Nayeon until now. “You haven’t even  _ tried _ , Mina! You’re giving up before we’ve even tried  _ anything _ . You aren’t hopeless. If you can’t believe in yourself, then trust in  _ me _ . Let me try to save you.”

“ _ Save _ me? Nayeon, this is my  _ life _ . You can’t expect me to just drop everything and blindly follow you. You don’t know this life like I do, you don’t know how relentless people are, how relentless my mother is. You think what you saw the other night was bad?” Mina let out a humourless laugh, “That wasn’t anything, Nayeon. You don’t know what you’re in for, trust  _ me _ .” Mina said mockingly.

Nayeon swore under her breath and threw her arms in the air in frustration as she turned around. 

This was infuriating. Nayeon knew this stubbornness was Mina’s attempt to push her away, to prove her point that Nayeon didn’t understand her life. But Nayeon didn’t understand why she was doing this now, not when Nayeon had spent the last few days assuring Mina that she would never leave her alone. 

Nayeon drew a deep breath. She refused to let Mina push her away. She had promised herself that she would protect Mina. And Nayeon was nothing if not obstinate, Jeongyeon had once described her as such. Nayeon took another calming breath and turned around. Mina was hunched with her head in her hands. Panic struck Nayeon as she raced to the bed.

“Mina? Mina, what happened?” Nayeon gently pulled Mina’s hands from her face. Mina’s hands were filled with diamonds, catching the light from the window and winking mockingly at Nayeon. Nayeon tried to pry them from Mina’s hands, gently unfurling her fingers when she felt Mina’s resistance at her rough touch. “Minari...”

Mina’s eyes welled up again, “S-sorry. Nayeon-unnie, I’m sorry. J-Just a habit, you, your arms, and-” She cut herself off as a sob bubbled up in her throat.

Nayeon felt tears spring to her own eyes as she realised the source of Mina’s pain. How could she be so stupid? She noticed from the beginning how Mina often retracted into herself, flinched at sudden movements and forever had apologies at the tip of her tongue. She had never been delusional, or perhaps hopeful, enough to convince herself that she was misreading the signs, to convince herself that perhaps Mina and her mother just didn’t have the tightest relationship. But the last few days had shown Nayeon that this ran far deeper than she could have ever suspected, that this rooted from causes beyond Nayeon’s wildest imagination. 

Now, this was Nayeon’s responsibility. Mina was Nayeon’s to protect, and she had failed. She had let her frustration get the better of her, and now she was faced with the devastating sight of Mina sadly glancing up at her with her big doe eyes.

“Minari,” Nayeon placed the diamonds on the bed and slowly reached her hand out. Mina flinched in response, so Nayeon merely held her hand suspended in the air. She waited a moment before extending her hand closer to Mina’s face. She tried to let her eyes convey that it was okay, that she wasn’t angry with her. Mina tilted her head into Nayeon’s hand as Nayeon gently stroked across her cheekbone. Mina broke the eye contact as she shut her eyes and let out a shaky breath. 

Nayeon slowly sat on the bed before tapping Mina’s lap to signal her movement. Mina nodded slightly and Nayeon gently pulled at Mina’s hip so that their bodies could face each other as Nayeon laid back on the bed. Nayeon leant forward until their faces were so close that she could feel Mina’s stuttered breathing against her lips. Nayeon’s hand continued the gentle caresses across Mina’s cheek. “Mina, can you look at me?”

Mina shook her head slightly, before shuffling forward to tuck her head under Nayeon’s chin and wrap her arms around the older girl’s waist. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Nayeon exhaled, pressing her nose into Mina’s hair. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you or try to control your actions. You’ve had enough of that in your life.”

Mina pressed her forehead more firmly against Nayeon’s neck, her lips grazing Nayeon’s collarbones as she shifted. “I-I’m sorry. You didn’t sign up for this. I understand if you want to leave, unnie.”

“Mina. There isn’t a single thing you could say that would make me want to leave. It isn’t going to happen, not now, not ever.” Nayeon said firmly, her tone leaving no room for disagreement.

“Forever is a long time, Yeonnie.” Nayeon couldn’t help her smile at the nickname, despite the heavy implications of Mina’s words. Nayeon brought her hand to card through Mina’s hair.

“Your curse is forever, no? If that can last forever, then so can my promise to protect you. You’re stuck with me, Minari. I’m yours, eternally.”

Nayeon didn’t realise that, after Squishy, she was the only thing that Mina had ever been able to properly call her own. 

  
  
  


Nayeon quirked an eyebrow at her cards, humming in contemplation. “Kings?” 

Mina shook her head, smiling as she said, “Nope. Go fish.” 

“Remind me why I brought this deck of cards again.” Nayeon complained as she picked up one of the few remaining cards on the floor. 

“Because I asked you to.” Mina’s eyes shone with the playfulness that had slowly been returning for the last week or so. 

Nayeon had missed the sight of it. She appreciated seeing it again, even if it meant Mina was still vehemently avoiding any of Nayeon’s attempts to try to help her. Nayeon wasn’t known for her patience, but everything about Mina brought out Nayeon’s protective instincts. 

If that means being patient, she always will be. 

Mina looked at her cards and smiled slyly, “Any kings?” She asked in her soft voice. 

Nayeon threw the three kings in her hands in Mina’s general direction. 

Never mind, she would always be patient with Mina  _ so long _ as the girl didn’t insist on being insufferably good at everything. 

Mina laughed in response, “You’re such a sore loser, Nayeonnie.” 

“Yeah, well, you’re- You have a stupidly cute face.” 

That made Mina erupt into a fit of giggles. Nayeon crossed her arms and leant back against the base of the bed, jerking her head away from Mina like a child. 

Stupid luck-based games. They didn’t test her skills at  _ all _ . 

“Yeonnie.” Mina crawled closer to Nayeon, poking her finger against Nayeon’s cheek, but Nayeon merely turned her head further from Mina’s probing finger. 

“Aren’t you a bit too old to act like a child when you lose at a game?” 

Nayeon’s head whipped towards Mina at the words, her mouth gaping and faux offence on her features. Nayeon dramatically brought a hand to her chest. 

“Oh, so first you cheat at Go Fish and now you’re calling me old.” 

“Nayeon-unnie! That’s not true. You’re being mean.” Mina looked at Nayeon with a look that she must have learnt that Nayeon couldn’t resist. Her eyes were wide, looking at Nayeon through her eyelashes with a pout adorning her features. But Nayeon’s ego was bruised, so she would  _ not  _ give in. 

Yet. 

“Hmph.” Nayeon tilted her chin up in a silent show of resistance. 

“Nayeonnie… What can I do to cheer you up?” Mina requested, tugging at Nayeon’s sleeve. Mina’s eyes were getting slightly too close to looking like genuine upset, her pout deepening further. 

“I could probably come up with something.” Nayeon says, already pushing Mina back by her shoulders to lay her flat against the bedroom floor. Nayeon didn’t waste any time, connecting her lips with Mina’s and parting the girl’s lips. 

Mina whimpered at the first touch of Nayeon’s tongue against her own, her hands coming to rest on Nayeon’s hips. Nayeon reached down to collect both of Mina’s hands with one of her own, pinning them above the girl’s head and dipping her head to press open-mouthed kisses against the expanse of Mina’s neck. Nayeon pushed herself up using her grip on Mina’s hands, settling her hips against Mina’s and causing Mina to gasp into her mouth. 

Nayeon felt Mina’s hips raise to meet her own and pulled back, looking the younger girl in the eyes. Nayeon cocked an eyebrow at Mina’s eagerness, smirking down at her girlfriend. “Impatient, are we?” 

Nayeon laughed to herself as Mina whined, clearly embarrassed at her own zealousness. Nayeon decided to stop torturing the girl underneath her, leaning back down to press her lips to Mina’s with fervour. Nayeon was certain she could spend the rest of her life languidly kissing Mina’s lips, with the sparks running through each of her nerve endings as she desperately tried to convey all of her feelings into every kiss. Mina was always so soft, so pliant under Nayeon’s touch. 

It made Nayeon’s head reel to be trusted so fully by her girlfriend. 

Nayeon was so lost in her mission to kiss Mina senseless that she failed to notice the door to the bedroom open, or the astonished gasp that came from the woman in the doorway. 

What Nayeon did notice was the harsh shove that sent her toppling off Mina and onto the floor. 

“And what is this?” Nayeon wasn’t sure that she had ever heard such venom in someone’s words before. 

“M-Mother, I-I can explain.” Mina stammered, her hands violently shaking. The tangible terror in Mina’s voice was enough push Nayeon out of her state of shock. 

Nayeon pushed herself to her feet, stepping between Mina’s body, which was looking far too small for Nayeon to be comfortable, and her girlfriend’s mother as she stepped forward with her hand raised. Sakura seemed to realise that she couldn’t strike someone who wasn’t her own daughter. The implication as the woman stepped back, lowering her hand, caused Nayeon to bristle. 

“Oh, so it’s fine for you to slap your own daughter, but you aren’t going to do it to me?” Nayeon questioned darkly, her eyes narrowing as she watched Mina’s mother scoff in disbelief. 

“What happens between me and my daughter under my own roof is none of your business.” 

Nayeon saw a flash of red at the words. She pushed herself into the woman’s personal space, not bothering to try to disguise her anger. Nayeon finally had a chance to set Mina free and she was determined to make the most of it. 

Nayeon needed to think quickly. 

“You disgust me. You do not own Mina. No-one does. She isn’t your property, and you have no right to abuse her like you’ve done since she was barely a teenager. You don’t own her power, that is Mina’s to choose to do with as she pleases.” 

Nayeon watched as Sakura whipped her head to look past Nayeon to stare daggers at her daughter. 

“You told her about our little secret? You are a spoiled fucking brat.” Nayeon caught the woman around the waist as she lunged forward, shoving her away from Mina roughly. 

“Are you fucking delusional? Not a single part of this is about you. Mina didn’t tell me. If anything  _ you  _ did.” Nayeon spat. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“I was under the bed the other week, I saw it for myself. You being an asshole is what told me, not Mina.” Nayeon informed her, the ire in her chest increasing as the woman growled under her breath. 

“You must be the reason why I’ve been getting less tears from my pathetic excuse of a daughter. Our arrangement worked fine, until it didn’t. And now I see that it’s because you’re in the picture.” Mina’s mother accused, waving her finger in Nayeon’s face. 

“Yeah? Good. At least one of us is doing our job.” 

“And what, pray tell, is your job exactly?” Sakura questioned caustically. 

“I’m Mina’s girlfriend, my job is to make sure she’s as happy.” 

Mina’s mother threw her head back with a full-bellied laugh that sent dread through Nayeon. There was something unsettling about the sound. She met Nayeon’s curious gaze. 

“Oh, deary. My daughter is nothing but poison, and she’s clearly got you wrapped around her little finger.” Nayeon’s eyes narrowed at the look of faux sympathy on Sakura’s face. “She isn’t worthy of any sort of love.” 

Nayeon could see that the woman believed her words. 

Nayeon turned around to glance at her girlfriend. Mina’s eyes were trained on the floor, her shoulders drooped. Nayeon could see the defeat in her posture. It was the way that she had looked the first time Nayeon saw her in the marketplace, when she was convinced that Nayeon would want her to leave. It was the way she had looked when Nayeon had pulled Mina into her arms the day her curse was revealed. It was the way that Mina had looked after her mother had struck her and left her crumpled on the floor. 

Nayeon thought of all the tears she had watched Mina shed, the times the girl stammered and retracted into herself out of shame and fear. She thought of their first time, when Mina had been so hesitant to so much as move for her worry of not being good enough. She thought of all the times Mina had grabbed her arm when she thought Nayeon was about to leave, terror and an apology in her eyes as she would bring her hand back to her own lap. 

Nayeon thought of the shine in Mina’s eyes whenever she beat Nayeon at something and Nayeon would pout at her. She thought of the way Mina would shyly bite her lip in embarrassment when Nayeon would compliment her, the way she would flush when Nayeon praised her. She thought of the times when Mina would hold Nayeon after she had a bad day at work, when her own self-doubt would cause her to shut down. 

She thought of the way Mina loved her without restraint and asked for nothing in return. 

Nayeon thought of how deeply in love she was with every part of Mina. 

“No.” Nayeon spoke calmly, but firmly, her eyes not moving from Mina’s timid form, “You’re wrong.” 

Nayeon watched as Mina’s head perked up slightly, not enough for anyone but Nayeon to notice. She noticed everything about the younger girl. She continued, “Mina is the best thing to ever happen to me. And if you weren’t so caught up in your own self-pity then you would see that she’s the best thing to ever happen to you too.” 

Mina hesitantly glanced up at Nayeon. Nayeon could see her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, and Nayeon realised again how effortlessly ethereal her girlfriend was. She watched a gummy smile spread across Mina’s lips as their eyes met. Nayeon smiled as Mina mouthed a silent, “Thank you.” 

Nayeon sent her a wink. 

“Touching,” Mina’s mother disturbed the soft moment with her mocking tone. “Now, get out. And don’t expect to see my daughter ever again.” 

Nayeon watched Mina pale at the words, shaking her head in disbelief. 

“No, mother, please.” Mina pleaded, her voice cracking. “I love her.” 

“Isn’t that a shame? Now, get out.” Mina’s mother turned triumphantly towards the door and gestured at Nayeon to walk through it. 

Nayeon met the woman’s gaze and allowed a sardonic smile to spread across her face, taking a chance. “That won’t be necessary, thank you.” 

“It wasn’t a request.” The older woman spat. “Get. Out.” 

“If I were you, I wouldn’t think I’m in a position to be making orders, Miss Myoui.” 

“I can see why my daughter chose you, you’re just as fucking insolen-”

Nayeon cut the woman off with a brisk warning, “I wouldn’t if I were you”. 

“Oh, and what are you going to do about it?” Sakura questioned, evidently intrigued. 

“Well, first, I was thinking that we could take a little trip to the police station.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

Nayeon scoffed. “What? You think that you’ve been smooth? Look around yourself. People don’t look beyond the surface unless they have a reason to. But what if I tell the police? Is your spiel about Mina being a lonely recluse who is scaling the globe trying to find herself going to work? One look at her passport records are going to show that’s a lie. Now, let’s review some other evidence, shall we?” Nayeon mockingly brought her hand to her chin, humming as she pretended to ponder, “First,” Nayeon raised a finger, “a little girl completely isolated herself, for no obvious reason considering that she had a good friendship group. 

“Second, Mina, a girl who participated in  _ multiple  _ after school activities, stopped attending them all without any warning. Third, at sixteen, the girl becomes a complete hermit. To the extent where not even the neighbours would say they had seen her. No, they may not realise on their own how strange it is that they hadn’t seen their neighbour’s daughter, life gets in the way, after all. But I reckon if someone were to point it out to them that they didn’t see Mina for two whole years, they may find the revolution a bit strange. That was before she  _ miraculously  _ had the epiphany one day after her eighteenth birthday that suddenly she wanted to explore the big wide world. I think that might trigger some suspicions too.” Nayeon was practically spitting the words, her pent up anger finally having somewhere to be directed to. 

Straight at the source. 

Nayeon continued, gesturing to the room around her, “And look at this room. Absolutely no personalisation. And we know now that Mina hasn’t spent the last few years travelling, so why would any normal girl with so many interests have absolutely  _ no  _ personal belongings. See? This is what happens when you’re so desperate to exert power over any aspect of your life, even to the extent that you monitor every  _ single  _ thing your daughter does, Sakura. The books downstairs that Mina is allowed to read sometimes? They aren’t hers, they’re yours. So, there isn’t any evidence that you let Mina have any entertainment. This is truly not looking good for you. The only reason you’ve been able to keep this up so far is because Mina is too selfless to speak out, because you made her feel worthless and alone. But she isn’t alone anymore.”

Nayeon watched the woman in front of her swallow thickly, but Nayeon couldn’t see anything past the image of Mina curled up and looking so small that was burned into her retinas. 

“You aren’t a mastermind. You’ve never been slick, people have just been painfully unobservant. But when I speak up, when  _ Mina  _ speaks up, then the police, and the whole fucking city, can see you for what you really are. A sad, lonely woman who placed far too much of her self-worth on her husband. A woman who was never fit to be a mother to anyone, but especially not someone as precious as Mina. Mina was special long before her curse, but she’s been pushed down and made to feel worthless. By  _ you _ .” Nayeon sensed as Mina stepped forward, grasping at Nayeon’s arm, “But never again.  _ Never  _ again.” 

“Unnie, please, enough now.” Nayeon looked from her girlfriend, back to Mina’s mother. The woman’s shoulders were slumped where before they had been poised. Her lower lip quivered. 

Nayeon knew she had won. 

It was confirmed as the woman spun on her heel and stalked out of the room, leaving the door ajar. 

But Nayeon didn’t feel like she had won. There was no satisfaction as Nayeon pulled her girlfriend into a deep embrace, there was only the knowledge that Mina had suffered for  _ so  _ long. She squeezed Mina tighter in her arms, refusing to let go until the other girl made her. But Mina seemed content to just stand there, wrapped up in each other. Nayeon could feel Mina’s ragged breathing against her, which did little to help soothe her own heart. Nayeon stood, breathing in the familiar scent of her girlfriend’s shampoo, the slight tinge of coconut. 

Surprisingly, Mina was the one to break the silence. 

“Do you think you were too harsh?” Mina’s words were quiet against Nayeon’s shoulder, not judgmental, simply curious. 

Nayeon firmly shook her head, “No way. Mina, no-one deserves to be treated the way she has treated you. Especially not someone like you.” 

Mina inhaled deeply, pulling back slightly to make eye contact. 

“I’m scared, unnie. I-. I don’t know what I should do now.” 

“There isn’t any ‘I’, Mina. It’s ‘we’. And  _ we  _ can do whatever you want once we’ve got you out of this shitty house,” Nayeon told her, brushing Mina’s bangs out of her eyes. 

“I don’t know how to just leave. This… Nayeon-unnie. This is my entire world.” 

“But it doesn’t have to be anymore. I know you’re terrified, baby, but we can build you a new world. We can start small. The first step is to get in my car and drive to my house. And we can take it one small step at a time after that, entirely at your pace.” Nayeon promised, leaving the offer open to Mina. Whilst Nayeon was certain that Mina couldn’t stay here now, she didn’t want Mina to think that she was forcing her to follow Nayeon. 

All she could do was trust Mina to work it out for herself. 

Mina stayed silent and, for once, Nayeon let her get lost in her own thoughts. Nayeon merely allowed her hands rub up and down Mina’s bare arms soothingly, silently telling her that she was still there. Nayeon knew that this decision had to come from Mina. 

Nayeon waited patiently, watching how Mina gently gnawed at her bottom lip, deep in thought. 

“You’ll be with me every step of the way?” 

Nayeon nodded without hesitation, “Of course. But, it won’t just be me. You’ll meet new people too. Your life shouldn’t just revolve entirely around me. I’ll be with you as long as you want me to be, but you’re free to live your life however you want to.” Nayeon told her, needing Mina to understand that she had to finally live for herself, not for anyone else. 

Not even for Nayeon. 

“I want to…” Mina trailed off, her eyes glazed over slightly. She then shook herself out of her daze. “But where will we live? I-I can’t just hijack your apartment.” 

Nayeon smiled at the word choice, “Mina-yah, you would be the most welcome of tenants, I promise you. But we can live wherever you want to.” Nayeon shrugged as if it were no big deal, because it wasn’t. “But preferably within a couple of hours from here so I can still see my parents and friends often. Money isn’t an obstacle.” 

Nayeon could see Mina was getting overwhelmed, far too many choices presenting themselves to her in such a short space of time, but at Nayeon’s final words, Mina tilted her head in confusion. 

“It isn’t?” Mina asked skeptically. 

“Well, you know.” Nayeon gestured at Mina’s eyes, realising her carelessness too late as Mina stepped back from her. 

“I-. You want-. Okay. Of course,” Mina nodded to herself, “Of course.” 

“No, Mina, that’s not what I meant,” Nayeon desperately tried to backtrack, her words dying on her tongue at the look of disappointment on Mina’s face. “Mina, wait.” 

Nayeon gently tilted Mina’s head to make sure she looked her in the eyes, “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. What I meant to say is that I promise you, right now, that I will try my best to make sure the only diamonds that come from your eyes from now on are tears of happiness.” 

Mina sniffled slightly., “Yeah?” She asked, the uncertainty in her voice making Nayeon want to wrap her up in a blanket and never let her go. 

“Of course. We use the diamonds on your terms, they’re yours after all. If you never want to use them again, then I’ll just work overtime.” Nayeon shrugged her shoulders. 

“No, no. It’s fine. That actually sounds… really nice. But, Nayeon,” Mina sighed, “Are you sure?” 

“About what?” 

“This. Me. Us,” Mina gestured around, “I come with a lot of baggage.” 

“We’ll work through it together. On your terms.” Nayeon promised her. She could see that Mina was struggling, the self-doubt evident in her eyes. Nayeon would not let another day go past where she didn’t tell Mina just how incredible she was. 

“Minari...” 

“Do you think I can be brave?” Mina asked her suddenly, searching her face. 

Nayeon could only smile, “I  _ know _ you’re brave.” 

Mina nodded to herself once, and then again, and then a third time, each nod growing more determined. Nayeon watched as Mina took a deep breath and looked around her room, seemingly taking the sight in. Mina wandered further from Nayeon, reaching under the bed to pull out Squishy and pull him close to her chest. Mina walked back over to where Nayeon stood and trailed her fingers down the inside of Nayeon’s arm, intertwining their fingers when she reached her hand. 

“Then we can go.” 

“You don’t want anything from your wardrobe?” Nayeon probed gently, wondering what Mina was thinking. 

“No, none of it has ever been properly mine anyway. And there’s too many sad memories attached to each piece of clothing in there. Could I, maybe, just borrow some of yours? I-If that’s okay,” Mina’s words got even quieter the longer she spoke, trailing off in doubt. 

That was okay. Baby steps. 

Mina had asked for something she wanted, no matter how small the request was. 

“Of course, we can buy you a new wardrobe. Best thing is, we don’t even need to leave the house. Online shopping, truly a blessing.” Nayeon said happily, gently pulling Mina along by their entwined hands. 

Mina’s mother waited by the front door, her arms crossed against her chest. The woman didn’t look up as Nayeon and Mina came down the stairs, merely staring out of the living room window out at the street. Nayeon paused at the bottom of the stairs, looking to her girlfriend. Mina answered Nayeon’s silent question with a quick dip of her head. Nayeon scrunched her nose at Mina in response, causing a small smile to form on the younger girl’s lips. 

Nayeon tried to step around Mina so that she would be further away from her mother as she walked past, but Mina held her hand out to stop her, “It’s okay.” Nayeon nodded in response, eyeing the woman in front of them warily but ultimately trusting Mina’s judgement. 

As Nayeon and Mina walked past Mina’s mother, Mina stopped their movement and paused in front of the woman. As Mina spoke, her voice came out soft but clear. Nayeon felt the perspiration on Mina’s hand, betraying her true apprehension at being around her mother. 

“I hope you find happiness, mother.” Mina said honestly, staring at the woman in front of her. It was kinder than any words Nayeon could muster towards her girlfriend’s mother, but Mina had always been far too precious for her own good. The sincerity behind the words testified more to Mina’s character than any words Nayeon could use to describe the wonderful girl besides her. 

Yet, Mina’s mother remained silent, showing no evidence of having heard her daughter’s sentence. But Mina didn’t seem deterred, simply nodding to herself and breaking her contact with Nayeon to reach her hand forward and grip the door handle. Mina briefly paused before pushing the handle down and pulling the door towards her, letting in the light from the outside world and basking in it for a moment. 

Nayeon stepped forward to tangle their fingers again and waited until Mina stepped forward onto the pavement outside the house. As Nayeon turned back to close the door behind her, she noticed Mina’s mother looking at her with an unreadable expression. 

“Go to hell,” Nayeon stated simply, pulling the door towards her and ensuring that it was firmly shut. Nayeon realised she was burning a hole through the closed door when Mina squeezed her hand slightly. 

“I never thought I’d be so happy to see a closed door,” Mina joked, squeezing Nayeon’s hand again. Nayeon raised her eyebrows in surprise as she turned back to face her girlfriend, not expecting her to be so playful. Mina must have recognised the slight confusion on her face and explained, “I feel really strange. I’m so scared that I think I’m giddy.” 

Nayeon laughed fondly, starting to walk Mina down the path and towards her car. Nayeon soothed her thumb over Mina’s as they walked. 

Neither Nayeon nor Mina spared a second glance back at the house. 

Nayeon knew that they would be okay. 

… 

Mina stirred awake. She squinted at the clock on the bedside table, 6:46am. Mina let out a petulant whine, cursing her body for waking her up so early. 

“Mina!” Perhaps it wasn’t her body that had woken her up so early.

“Yes, Nayeon-unnie?” Mina muttered, pulling the covers up to shield her eyes as Nayeon threw open the curtains. 

Mina felt the covers being yanked away from her face and Nayeon straddling her lap. “Minari, get up. We’re going for a walk.” 

“Unnie, it’s not even 7am, why do you have so much energy? You  _ never  _ have this much energy before 9.” Mina pouted up at her girlfriend, struggling to adjust her dynamism so early in the morning. 

Wait, a walk? 

Mina hadn’t left the house in the few days since she had moved into Nayeon’s one-bedroom apartment. Old habits die hard, apparently, and the outside world was daunting. 

“I want to take you somewhere. Come on, get dressed, we’re on a time limit.” Nayeon bent down to drop a brief kiss to Mina’s cheek before attempting to pull away. Mina hooked her arms around the other girl’s neck to keep her in place. “Mina-yah.” 

The stern tone of Nayeon’s voice didn’t deter Mina, as she tilted her head upwards to connect their lips. Nayeon allowed the languid movement of their lips against each other, softly whining into Mina’s mouth as she bit her lip. As Mina tried to seize her chance to slip her tongue inside, Nayeon pulled away. Mina pouted as Nayeon playfully slapped her side. “You’re mean.” 

“Nope, not falling for it,” Nayeon chirped as she moved from Mina’s lap to traverse the room, “Up.” 

Mina sighed, pushing herself into a sitting position and shivering at the cold in the air. The cold that would not be there if Mina was still under the covers. Mina watched as Nayeon rifled through the wardrobe in the corner of the room. No,  _ their  _ wardrobe,  _ their  _ room. She inclined her head to watch her fingers as they nervously fiddled with duvet. 

Mina wasn’t used to calling anything her own. 

Mina cursed herself as the familiar anxiety brewed in the pit of her stomach. Mina trusted Nayeon with her life, and perhaps more importantly, with her heart. She knew Nayeon would never put her in a situation that would make her uncomfortable, at least, not without good reason. 

Mina was startled from the beginnings of her panic by Nayeon’s form moving to stand in front of her. Nayeon bent down into a squat, forcing Mina to tilt her head slightly to look down at her girlfriend. It was a stark contrast to how her mother towered over her, making Mina feel small. Mina didn’t understand how Nayeon knew how to help her when Mina herself hadn’t realised how much it calmed her. 

The wonders of Im Nayeon. 

“Baby,” Nayeon began, grasping one of Mina’s hands in both of her own. “We don’t have to do anything you aren’t ready for.” Nayeon dipped her head to place a kiss against Mina’s knuckles. “Ever.” 

Mina sighed. “I want to,” She mumbled, “Just scared.” 

Nayeon stood up and pulled Mina up with her, wrapping her tightly in her arms. “I know, angel. But you know I’ll always protect you, right?” 

Mina smiled at the new nickname, “Wouldn’t that make you the angel?” 

Nayeon pulled back to look Mina in the eye, smiling so wide that her eyes crinkled. “I guess it would. Wow, you caught me. This is why you’re the brains of this relationship.” 

“I won’t argue with that, Yeonnie.” Mina teased cheekily. 

“You’re really turning into a brat, you know that?” 

Mina shrugged her shoulders. “This is your own doing. You made me into who I am.” 

Nayeon shook her head. “I just helped bring out what was already there, Mina. Don’t discredit yourself like that.” Nayeon chided, playfully tapping Mina’s nose to show her that the words held no malice. “You’ve always been wonderful.” 

Mina preened at the praise, tucking her head under Nayeon’s chin to hide her bashful smile in the crook of her girlfriend’s neck. She really loved Nayeon. “Love you, Nayeonnie.” 

They stood there for a quiet few moments. Nayeon brought her hand to gently pull apart the tangles in Mina’s hair, her other hand holding Mina close at the small of her back. Nayeon hummed a song as she swayed them slightly. Mina could stay like this forever. 

A violent shiver up Mina’s spine ruined that plan. 

Mina took a deep breath and spoke again, “I need to get dressed and then we can go.” 

“Are you sure?” Nayeon probed, pushing Mina back slightly so she could search her face. Mina merely hummed her consent. “Great, I already picked you an outfit!” 

… 

  
  


Nayeon glanced habitually at Mina out of the corner of her eye, before returning her attention fully back to the road in front of them. They could have walked to their destination, but Nayeon knew Mina needed baby steps. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to be outside for the first time in a decade with no other purpose other than, well, to live. Mina had spent her entire life living for her mother’s selfish needs, through no fault of her own. Nayeon herself had only met Mina because she was told to keep up appearances. 

Nayeon’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, a frown forming on her face. Nayeon had never felt hatred in its purest form until she had discovered Mina’s mother. How someone as pure and  _ good  _ as Mina could come from such evil, Nayeon would never understand. Nayeon shook her head slightly, pushing the thought away. 

Mina was safe now and Nayeon would make sure Mina never saw that woman again so long as she was still breathing. 

Nayeon stopped at a red light, turning her head to look at Mina. Despite the darkness outside the window, Mina stared with her mouth open slightly in awe. Nayeon realised that Mina must not have been outside in the dark for almost a decade; no-one could spread the news that Mina was okay if no-one had seen her. Mina bobbed her head slightly in time to the music subconsciously as she looked out the window. 

There was so much for Nayeon to show Mina. Like Nayeon’s happy playlist. Music that wouldn’t be played just to make her cry. Comedies that serve no other purpose other than to make Mina laugh. Nayeon had so much that she was excited for Mina to be introduced to, but she had to start somewhere. Somewhere that she knows that Mina will love. 

Nayeon parked as they pulled into the car park. “Okay, we’re almost there.” Nayeon opened the boot of the car, pulling out her backpack and slipping it over her shoulder and extending a hand to Mina. Mina took it and intertwined their fingers, looking to Nayeon in a silent question. Nayeon nodded her head in the direction of a path leading up a fairly steep hill. Mina nodded, waiting for Nayeon to take the first step, which she did. 

As they walked, Nayeon felt the beginnings of nerves forming. She really wanted to make Mina happy. Nayeon spoke to distract herself. “When I was younger, my parents and my sister would make me get up early to do something like this too. But as I got into my ‘teenage angst’ phase, I started shouting when they tried to wake me up. I was a lost cause after that. But I suppose you  _ may  _ be worth getting up early for.” 

“ _ You _ woke  _ me  _ up.” 

“I don’t see your point.” 

Nayeon turned to face Mina in time to catch the girl rolling her eyes. It made a proud smile form on her face. Nayeon continued, “How do you feel about meeting Sana and Momo one day?” 

Mina turned to Nayeon in surprise. “You want that?” 

The genuine shock in Mina’s voice made Nayeon want to cry. “Of course I want that. And they want to meet you too, Sana said she already knows that she’ll love you.” 

Mina went quiet, facing forward again. Nayeon could tell she was getting lost in her own thoughts, her lips parted slightly and a crease between her brows. Not on Nayeon’s watch. “Did I tell you about the time Sana dropped a bottle of red wine down the stairs?” 

By the time Nayeon finished her story, they had reached the crest of the hill. “And then she literally just sighed. Seriously, her only reaction was to  _ sigh _ . She’s a dumbass, and I love her for it. Stop here.” Nayeon pulled Mina back unexpectedly. Nayeon knows her girlfriend would have stumbled if not for the ballet she had continued practicing from her childhood, Mina’s mother approving of anything that could exhaust her daughter. Only in the enclosed space of Mina’s room, of course. 

Nayeon slipped the backpack off her shoulder. “Mina, shut your eyes.” 

“Huh?” 

“Mina.” Nayeon made sure her tone left no room for disagreement. She began pulling out the blanket from her backpack, not bothering to check if Mina had shut her eyes yet. 

Nayeon knew Mina would listen to her request. 

She walked forward to the very top of the hill, spreading the blanket out on the ground. Nayeon took the moment to absorb the scene surrounding her, listening to the gentle chirping of the birds in the trees that were watching over the city below them. Nayeon silently cursed herself for not bringing her camera to capture the moment of beauty before her. 

“Unnie.” Nayeon could hear the uncertainty in her girlfriend’s tone and turned to watch as she shuffled slightly on the spot. 

“I’m right here. So, this morning I was preparing a little something for us. It isn’t much,” Nayeon felt nervousness creeping in again, “But I hope you like it.” 

Nayeon had settled the selection of food, mainly sandwiches and snacks, she had prepared in the morning across the blanket. Nayeon looked to the skyline of the city, noticing the first rays of sunrise poking up from the horizon. 

It was perfect. 

Nayeon walked back to Mina, who had her hands covering her eyes. Nayeon felt her heart swell at the innocent gesture, wanting to wrap Mina up in her arms forever. Mina stiffened as Nayeon placed a hand on the small of her back, relaxing as Nayeon applied slight pressure to encourage her to step towards the blanket. 

“Keep them shut for another couple of steps,” Nayeon instructed, watching as Mina took steps forward without hesitation now that Nayeon was beside her. “Stop!” 

Nayeon wanted Mina’s first proper glance of the sunrise to be unforgettable. The rays poking from the horizon were slightly higher in the sky now. Nayeon took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet. 

“Open your eyes, Minari.” Nayeon smiled as Mina moved her hands to uncover her eyes, crossing her arms in satisfaction at the gasp Mina let out, “Ta-dah!”

“Wow...” Mina’s mouth was agape, her hand coming up to cover her open mouth. Her gaze dropped to look at the food on the blanket, before drifting back up to gaze longingly at the sunrise. 

Nayeon couldn’t suppress her grin, mentally patting herself on the back for the idea. Mina looked at the sunrise with the same awe she held when she regarded Nayeon. 

It was almost enough to make Nayeon jealous. 

As Mina stared at the sunrise, Nayeon stared at her. There was a twinkle in her eyes that Nayeon couldn’t get enough of. Her smile had bloomed so wide that her eyes were tiny crescents, her full cheeks rosy from the slight chill in the air. Her hand was suspended halfway between her mouth and her chest, seemingly forgotten. 

Nayeon realised that she couldn’t bear to not be touching Mina any longer. She stepped behind her girlfriend to wrap her arms around her waist, chin settling on Mina’s shoulder. Mina moved the hand left in the air up to rest against Nayeon’s cheek. 

Nayeon didn’t think she had felt true peace until that moment. 

In Mina’s room, there was always apprehension, always the fear of being caught. Here, there was no-one to hurt Mina. But it was more than that, Mina herself was at ease. Nayeon could feel how loose her muscles were, absent from any tension. Nayeon could feel the soft inhales and exhales as Mina watched the sight before her. Mina’s body was entirely slack against Nayeon’s embrace, leaning back to help support her weight against Nayeon. Mina’s hand had absentmindedly began to trace gentle patterns against Nayeon’s cheek with her fingertips. 

Nayeon could no longer see Mina’s face, but she didn’t need to. She was completely in tune with all the nuances of the girl in her arms. 

Nayeon was pulled from her daydream by Mina’s soft voice. “I could always see the sunrise from my window if I craned my head enough. But after a while, I gave up trying to see it. It just felt like I was fighting to see something that I could never have,” Mina sighed wistfully, before continuing, “But I think that was all worth it to see it from up here.” 

Mina turned around in Nayeon’s arms, leaving their faces no more than an inch apart. “With you.” 

Nayeon felt strangely shy from the intensity of her girlfriend’s gaze. Mina was so often timid that seeing her take control of the situation made Nayeon feel as if she was gasping for air. 

“Yeah?” Nayeon whispered, afraid to speak too loudly and break the underlying tension that had seeped into the moment. Mina hummed in agreement. 

Nayeon felt Mina’s arms loop around her neck, pulling her in for a searing kiss that left Nayeon struggling to keep up. Part of Nayeon wanted to protest that Mina was missing the best part of the sunrise, but she knew that they had plenty of time to see it again on another day. 

… 

  
  


Mina felt the fire inside her fully ignite, pressing against her chest in its attempt to finally be let out.

On that hill, with Nayeon pressed against her, as the rays of sunshine illuminated the darkness, Mina learned what it was to be truly free. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and there we go!! thank you so much for the comments on this, they genuinely make me SO happy to read. i was happy with even two people liking this, but it's more than that :((( i hope to write more, but ideas aren't always my strong suit. so, if you have any ideas/ requests, lemme know!! 
> 
> thank you for reading and enjoying 
> 
> i hope you all have the loveliest of days   
> twitter: @crescentchae

**Author's Note:**

> the au idea was created by @nabongsbunny on twitter, and they come up with loads of wonderful ideas, so check them out :)) 
> 
> my twitter is @crescentchae, feel free to come yell at me for literally anything twice (and generally) 
> 
> part 2 will be up in a couple of days. thank you for giving this any time, if even one person enjoys this then i think it would be worth me posting it. have a lovely day!!!


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